Black and Grey
by Queen of Vegetasei
Summary: AU RxK,TxCxM Reix[TalaOliver] Four years after the Russian Championships, 5 young men are very different people. Conspiracies have made friends have become enemies, everyone's agenda is revenge. Rei returns to Japan with one mission: To claim Kai.
1. Black and Grey White

Title: Black and Grey  
  
Author: Queen of Vegetasei  
  
Rating: R- NC-17, depending where you're reading  
  
Summary: AU RxK,TxCxM Reix[Tala/Oliver] Four years after the Russian Championships, 5 young men are very different people. Conspiracies have made friends have become enemies, everyone's agenda is revenge. Rei returns to Japan with one mission: To claim Kai.  
  
A/N: **This diverts from FIRST SEASON BEYBLADE into this timeline.** I like 2nd season beyblade, but that's whole different reality, different people, and even our b-boys are different. Black and Grey assumes 2nd season never happened, and the result of it is this. Just remember this has a plot, there's a reason behind everything... well not really, but by the time you read this there will be a plot and a reason for everything.  
  
Just a warning, even though this IS primarily a RxK fic, watch for the many, MANY odd couples ahead, and so far there is: ReixKai, Rei/Tala, Rei/Oliver, Rei/Bryan, TalaxOliver, TysonxKennyxMax (yes, TOGETHER), Dizzy/Dragoon, and more... some may be prominent, some only hints of, some just convinent, but all make sense in a weird sort of way.  
  
Somewhere along the way I have created the Anti-Max. It came about when I just got sick and tired of the always cheerful and happy sugar high portrayal, so somehow I experimented and invented this... person. A Dark!Max, with good reason of course. Like it or not, there's a reason for this for plot development.  
  
Oh yes, Thank ye Harley for betaing for be in my time of need. Though nto as anal as Opal, there is less screaming too. Um... my only consolation is my writing gets better as I go along. Motivation and smut bunnies are the key!  
  
Fear my bad grammar. Fear it.  
  
**Black and Grey  
**  
A black haired young man hefted his cumbersome luggage from the airport turnstile. Amber eyes peeked out beneath a crimson red bandana and ebony bangs.  
  
"Che." He looked around with a slight smile, noting the fact he was taller than most people there. Which was pretty amazing, for someone of Asian decent. His quite extensive amount of hair was bound in a white rope, hanging almost to his ankles, totally clashing with his clothes, which consisted of a pair of ordinary jeans and a sweater.  
  
After so many years wandering the world, he was back.  
  
His features had lost their childish chubbiness, smoothing out into the chiseled features that came with adulthood, or as adult as he could be at age nineteen. However, overall it wasn't his appearance that changed the most.  
  
The last 4 years had been a small frenzy of training, learning new techniques, and as a side dish, self discovery. It had been the longest four years of his life, or it had felt like it at least. It was quite an epiphany when he 'discovered' he had been deluding himself.  
  
All of his life had been spent on the run. Family, home, former friends, enemies etcetera. He had barely noticed when yet another thing had been added to his list of things to run from. After all, what was one more thing to run away from? Ironic that it just so happened to be the most important of those things. Even when the epiphany had passed, it didn't stop him from turning coward and keep running for just a bit longer.  
  
Running from his feelings and most of all, from HIM.  
  
Now however, he was sure. Epiphanies do that to people.  
  
Yes, Kon Rei of the Chinese White Tigers and the former Japanese Bladebreakers was flamboyantly gay.  
  
Maybe that was edging things a little too far along the rainbow spectrum, but he was definitely sure that women didn't do anything for him anymore. Now if only that person who was not so subtly following him could understand that.  
  
Rei cast a glance behind him, wincing as they came close to being blinded. The pink mop of hair was like a glaring beacon in the sea of businessmen and parents with their screaming kids.  
  
"Stop following me." One of the many things he'd been chanting under his breathe like a prayer. Not turning around, he pushed passed the crowds of people, valiantly trying to lose the stalking girl in the masses. The pink mess of colour steadily bobbed after him.  
  
Let's backtrack. Now, Rei was a nice guy, he worked hard for a living, he had friends spread over three continents and he was even tempered most of the time. However, he didn't like being followed, especially over the course of three years non-stop with no end in sight, by a girl who he still claimed dubiously as a friend, though that was waning quick. Right now, he could not handle being stalked after transferring three flights and enduring over 20 hours in the air with little to no sleep.  
  
A man could only take so many, "But Rei! Why didn't you WAIT for me?!" before he broke and went utterly insane, and started poking his eyes out with sporks.  
  
"Rei! Why didn't you wait for me?!"  
  
Rei's eyelid twitched. He kept a running stream of expletives flowing from his lips as he practically shoved the other people aside. It never worked trying to lose her in a crowd, Mariah was much too stubborn for that, but he could damn well try.  
  
"Rei!"  
  
The horrified tingle that shot up his arm from contact with so much pink wasn't just a figment of his imagination.  
  
Reluctantly, he turned around, quickly coming up with a plan in his mind to shake her off his trail for a while. The scarily clashing gold of her eyes combined with the hopeful, and kind of obsessive, intent behind them sent the hairs on the back of his neck rising.  
  
Okay, quick decision.  
  
With a sharp distracting yell, he chopped his hand onto the back of her neck, gratefully watching as those eyes widened then dulled into unconsciousness. The ground shuddered as the sheer amount of pink collided with normal, docile, unfortunate cream. Rei looked guiltily at the people staring open mouth at him, prodding the unconscious girl with his foot suspiciously.  
  
Breathing a sigh of relief he spun, and high tailed it out of there.  
  
Drastic situations call for drastic actions.  
  
The people who weren't stunned silent jumped away as he started running, pushing past them with the sole intent of getting away before she woke up and started picking up the trail again. He had a goal to achieve here, and it would work better without an obvious tag along. A fanged grin, full of anticipation lit his lips as he made his way out of the airport. He couldn't wait.

* * *

A spiky haired young man, his grey hair gone almost shockingly white over the years, red cruel eyes peering out from underneath equally pale lashes, leaned against the cage's wall. A familiar scowl drew on his lips.  
  
"You don't stand a chance."  
  
His hands gripped the wire of the cage, his lips turning into a smirk, watching the dish inside stonily.  
  
"You can't win." Muscles tense and springing for action, he gave a death glare that would've sent any normal person running for the hills, red eyes boring inside the cage at his opponent.  
  
This made absolutely no difference to the white fluffy rabbit inside, which was staring back at him while innocently chewing on its lettuce.  
  
Rabbit and man stared at one another.  
  
"EAT THE CARROT DAMN YOU!!!" The former Captain of the Bladebreakers, Beyblade Champion of the world, Hiwatari Kai rattled the cage menacingly.  
  
Obviously the rabbit won, still chewing on the lettuce and totally ignoring the succulent carrot beside it on the food dish.  
  
Kai gave a tired sigh. His pet was being totally disagreeable. Rabbits were supposed to eat carrots weren't they? Granted, this was his first pet, which he got out of sheer loneliness, not that he would ever tell anyone that. Kind of pathetic really.  
  
Meet Rei the Bunny rabbit.  
  
He didn't know what prompted him to name it that. On a pure aesthetic level, there was a certain uncanny resemblance. The cute white coat was tainted with the dark fur of its ears with a thin streak of black running along its back to its small puffy stub of a tail. It had amused him to no end when the name fit so perfectly, though he couldn't recall the pet's namesake to be this stubborn. Maybe it was demented.  
  
Kai and the rabbit glared at each other.  
  
"Hmph. Fine, be that way." Kai started to walk away, arms crossed before swiftly turning and rattling the cage. "EAT THE CARROT DAMN YOU!!!"  
  
Rei continued to eat the lettuce.  
  
Kai let out a breath. He was getting soft.  
  
After moving from his grandfather's home to his own apartment, instead of being perfectly content to be finally left alone by the old bastard, and growing into an even more cold hearted and antisocial guy, he had become... this. He had retreated from his physical training, centering his one-track mind on beyblading; he was the best after all.  
  
Dranzer and his blade were both almost unbeatable now, the beyblade now shining a metallic dark royal blue with flashes of red in a solid sleek design, contrasting brightly against his pale palm.  
  
The Japanese Tournament was coming up soon. They never gave much competition anymore, but he needed the money so he can get a better cage for Rei... um... for his living needs.  
  
Kai looked down at the slight appearance of flab over his waistline, measuring exactly 1 cm from his calculating eye. His body wasn't used to gluttony, and frankly, the flab was starting to freak him out. He needed to get in shape or he'll start feeling OLD next.  
  
"Besides," he murmured, "It wouldn't do for a bishounen like me to not look my best for my fans." Did he just say that?  
  
Shaking that thought away, Kai started on a set of sit ups to quell the annoying random thoughts. He wondered if Tyson would be at the tournament. He would enjoy beating that guy to the ground in front of the whole country... again.  
  
He was getting soft, he admitted, but he would always be a sadistic bastard.

* * *

"Director! Are you sure you want to eat here?"  
  
A blue-eyed young man, short blonde hair slicked back in small spikes stepped in front of the nervously twitching, dark suited man. He threw a look at the other man, silencing him immediately. He wore a simple shirt and pants, both in ridiculously bright radioactive green and blue. At full height, he stood 5'7' and still retained the lean form he'd had 4 years back.  
  
"Director you're the Head of a prestigious company, why do you suddenly want to eat here, I thought you hated Chinese food," the man said again.  
  
"Marisato, I never said I hated Chinese food, it's just that you've never seen me eat it." Without looking back, he entered.  
  
A familiar whip like ponytail turned just in time to hear him enter.  
  
"Welcome to..." The waiter that greeted them stilled and stared. "Max?"  
  
"Rei?" The blonde said in return, stunned.  
  
"MAXIE!!!" Amber eyes lighted up as Rei leapt smoothly over the greeting counter and hugged his friend. The man once known as the boy Max, tensed and hesitated before laughing and hugging him back in delight.  
  
"Rei! When..."  
  
"No no, I'm just a waiter here, and you've come to eat. Let me get you a table and food and then we'll talk." The other man suddenly let go of him and sat him forcibly at a comfortable booth near the windows and an indoor fountain before darting off.  
  
"Director, did you know him?" Marisato asked, sitting diligently in an accompanying seat.  
  
"Yes," the now normally ice blue eyes lit up in a smile. "He's my friend."  
  
Shouts came from the kitchen. "OKAY already! I know, I know I shouldn't take over the stove but I'll make up for it later! I'm on break!" Even before the doors closed to the kitchen, it sprang open again, with Rei having at least 5 plates of food and a tub of rice balanced easily in his hands.  
  
Max blinked. "That was unusually fast."  
  
Rei shrugged, carefully laying down the dishes on the table and serving two bowls of rice before sitting down himself.  
  
Max noted how much the other guy had grown. "You're looking good Rei."  
  
The ex-White Tiger bared his fangs just a little. "So do you Max, actually you look different, what happened to the always smiling Maxie I knew? I hardly recognised you with that mean scowl back there. I hope you didn't catch any Kai germs did you?"  
  
Max noted how Rei's breath hitched a little when he said Kai's name. "People change."  
  
"Hm..." Rei looked at his old friend suspiciously. This Max was completely different. Back then he was always the forever happy one, but now..."So how have you been?" He tilted his head toward the guy clad in the business suit who was glaring at him. "And who's this?"  
  
The blonde glanced at the other man. "This is Marisato, one of my business subordinates." He didn't bother to offer the man's given name. He never used it.  
  
Seeing Rei, it made him feel better. Better than he had felt in a long time. "And what, you've been sleeping under a rock or something? I'm the head of the Bladebreakers Corporation."  
  
Rei lifted his eyebrows. "Doesn't ring a bell."  
  
Max and Marisato nearly face faulted. The blonde smiled, almost in relief. "Rei, you must really be out of it. Bladebreakers Corporation is the leading company in the production, creation and research of Beyblades, second only to the BBA. I started it after the American tournament, after all," his tone turned slightly bitter, "Am I not my mother's son?"  
  
Rei looked at him and suddenly leaned over the table grabbing the blonde's shirt. "Bladebreaker's Corporation huh? Then why haven't I seen a yen of all this money you've been making huh? I'm part of the team too y'know!"  
  
Max gazed into the playful amber eyes and laughed heartily, easing back into his chair.  
  
Marisato watched his boss in wonder as the usually cold young man laughed and bantered with this person.  
  
"Oh, yes, Marisato, this fool is Kon Rei." Max was now sitting comfortably next to his friend.  
  
Marisato's eyes widened and suddenly stood, bowing deeply to Rei's surprise. "I am deeply sorry Kon-sama, I didn't know you were part of the Director's team."  
  
Rei put a hand behind his head. "It's okay, sit down Marisato, any friend of Maxie's is a friend of mine."  
  
"Nah, Marisato's too much of stiff to be my friend," Max joked, almost giddy with this old feeling of happiness. "This guy keeps me at meetings for 10 hours straight, and won't even have a drink with me!" He gulped down a mouthful of rice.  
  
The older man flushed at the unexpected friendliness coming from his superior.  
  
Rei turned to Max. "So how have the others been doing? I just got back from touring the world and I'm sorry I haven't kept in touch. I hope you guys haven't been slacking off, I plan on entering the Japan tournament in a few days, god knows I need the money." He waved his hands around for emphasis.  
  
Max smiled. "You know about me already. And I'm sorry to say I haven't kept in touch much either except for Kenny. Tyson, last I heard is lounging around at home, going out at times to beat the reigning champion at so and so individual tournament when he feels like it. Kai, all I've heard is he'll be entering the upcoming tournament. Kenny is working for me in Research and Creation. It's his idea of heaven."  
  
"Haha, no doubt, " Rei added, putting away the shadow that crossed Max's eyes as he said Tyson's name for later thought.  
  
"I don't know about the Japan tournament. I can't enter as my company is sponsoring it and this guy," he gestured to Marisato, "Would most likely keep me in meetings all day. And I have no idea if Tyson is entering."  
  
"So just me and Kai huh?" Rei said, suddenly serious.  
  
"Yes, but it doesn't mean I still can't whoop your arse in beyblading!" Max said, surprised at himself for lifting the mood even though only an hour ago, he would've encouraged it.  
  
Rei smirked, his fangs showing themselves again. "Perhaps. I intend to win that tournament."  
  
Max caught the playful gaze again. He had to admit, this Rei seemed so much... cooler than when he was younger, and even better looking. "You can go past all the easy bladers, but no one can beat Kai. I probably could if I wasn't so busy."  
  
"Oh yeah?" Out of nowhere, Rei pulled a wok out, stunning them both. "You're on Maxie."  
  
Marisato's eyes widened as the two friends stood and pushed the chairs away from the table. "Mizuhara-sama..."  
  
Max smiled. He had not had a decent match in a long time; he never had the time for such frivolous things anymore. "No, I accept. Let's see what you got Rei."  
  
Both took their blades out and customized launchers. Both of them studied each other.  
  
"You customized Draciel. It's... bright." Rei winced a little. At least one thing didn't change, Max still liked those bright colours, and his beyblade was now neon green.  
  
"So have you. This is called Neo Draciel. Drigger seems to have changed from Kenny's last customisation. Very... white." Max replied.  
  
Rei smirked, showing the nearly transparent diamond coloured and many razored beyblade. "Well, you can see where my money went into. This is the Drigger D. The D stands for diamond, since it's covered in a diamond coat, cuts just about everything. Pierces skin as easily as a hot knife on butter." He wiggled his fingers around the edge. A thin red line appeared over his finger tips where the blade met the flesh. "Still hurts, but doesn't cut me anymore. Course, I can barely feel the skin on my fingers anymore."  
  
Max nodded. "Impressive Rei. You must get a lot of attempted thefts." He attached Draciel to the launcher.  
  
"Not anymore. They don't dare."  
  
Max swiveled his gaze to Marisato. "Judge for us."  
  
"Y-yes." The man was chilled as he saw two blank and emotionless faces staring at each other, launchers at ready. He raised his hand. "3, 2, 1..." And dropped it. "LET IT RIP!"  
  
The two blades shot into the wok at once, circling around each other in a web of sparks. Rei looked at Max, and saw the utter blankness of his face, mirroring his own.  
  
"Draciel, light." Max's command was casual coldness, not giving anything away. His face had lost all traces of humour, only s a small tightening of his mouth that could've been a smile but was no where near as pleasant.  
  
Rei's eyes squinted away from his opponent's curious reaction, narrowing into portective slits as Max's beyblade blazed a burning Neon green, blinding all vision to the wok. Max's eyes glinted back at him.  
  
"Cute." Rei adjusted his vision, "But it isn't enough, " He smirked. "I'll show you something special I've devised. Drigger, Tiger Claw revised. Final slash."  
  
Max narrowed his eyes as Drigger started to circle Draciel at high speeds "Final slash huh? I'll repay in kind. Draciel, Volta Attack."  
  
Rei smiled as Draciel started to spin faster in the middle of the wok. "Do it now Drigger."  
  
Marisato gasped as the bottom of the wok started to lift into the air, completely cut from the rest of the metal, with Drigger like a hazy wall around its edge and turning the dish in a furious spinning globe in the air, moving so fast as to somehow reverse gravity.  
  
"That won't work. Even if it's off the ground, that is useless. Draciel!"  
  
"Drigger!"  
  
Rei's beyblade was a barely distinguishable blur around the spinning globe. It suddenly stopped, and charged downward sparks flying from the fray as metal overcharged in high velocity. There was a moment if clarity as the two opposing spins caught the wok piece between them, suddenly shattering as the force of the beyblades collided on the unfortunate metal.  
  
There was a high ear piercing screech as tips of the beyblades crashed against each other before bouncing off.  
  
Rei and Max smiled as each caught their blades in their hands, ignoring the rain of metal bits of the ex-wok.  
  
"A tie." Marisato said.  
  
"Nice, you moved faster to cut the dish so you can crash your opponent's trapped beyblade to the floor, or just shatter it in the air," Max observed, studying his beyblade.  
  
Rei laughed heartily. "I expected no less from you. Your attack was originally done to dig your way around then leave no room for the other beyblade to move except towards your incoming blade, and to spin so fast you seem only a trail of light. But in the air, you just dig through my globe and met me half way," Rei stated.  
  
Max lost the emotionless look and smiled at him. "You were holding back Rei, you could've slashed me in half in the air."  
  
Rei grinned in return. "You held back too Max. That attack is child's play. Anyone would've expected that."  
  
Max laughed. "Perhaps."  
  
A guy with a chef hat came into the dining room and stared at the mess. "What the...WHAT HAPPENED TO MY WOK!?!"  
  
Rei winced and turned. "Aw, sorry Mr. Chan, I just wanted to verse my friend here..."  
  
"THIS IS COMING FROM YOUR PAYCHECK BUDDY!!!"  
  
Max smiled. "No need. I'll pay for it."  
  
"Aw, Maxie, I don't want to trouble you." Rei said sheepishly.  
  
"No problem." The blonde took out a credit card from his wallet. "Here." And gave it to the chef, who looked on glumly. "For the great meal and the wok."  
  
Mr. Chan grumbled and stalked to the cashier.  
  
"Rei..." Max walked toward his old friend. "It's been great seeing you."  
  
"Yeah." Rei looked down at the shorter man and clasped his hand, pulling him in a hug. "Great to see you too Maxie."  
  
Marisato coughed. "Director, it's getting late, we need to be back at the office..."  
  
"Yeah yeah yeah," Max pulled out a business card and handed it to Rei. "Drop by sometime, I want a rematch."  
  
"No problem." Rei took the credit card back from the chef and gave it to Max. "I'll look forward to it."  
  
Max and Marisato headed toward the door. "Oh and Rei," Max opened the door slightly. "You'll do fine in the tournament."  
  
"Thanks." Rei smiled and waved as they left.  
  
"Oi, waiter boy, clean up this mess!"  
  
He sighed, "Right on it." It was lucky it was so late or there would be other diners still there to see this. But as it happened, there wasn't.  
  
Outside, Marisato looked at his superior in the awaiting limo and saw the impassive look on his face. He wanted to pinch himself to assure himself that it wasn't a dream. That Maximilian, the youngest, most ruthless, and cold-hearted businessman was joking and laughing like the boy he should be not 5 minutes ago.  
  
The happy boy before and the man with the icy blue eyes now were two completely different people.

* * *

A figure draped in black cloth, his identity hidden from the screaming crowds, walked steadily up the short stairs.  
  
They were digging it up even though it's pretty obvious who he was.  
  
Sure enough, the matches leading to this moment were far too easy, it made him think that the caliber of beybladers had gone down, though it was more like he had gone up. Like the other time he was here, the final beyblade dish was surrounded by a cage, with the same announcer, D.J. Jazzman standing outside with a microphone.  
  
It was the finals of the Japanese Tournament. The other matches held no meaning; he had won such battles all over the world, picking up techniques of other beybladers as he went. But the finals...ah the finals would just be...so cool.  
  
HE stood there, leaning against the cage, a stoic figure, a God of grey and black, blue tattooed triangles marking his face as always. A black shirt clung to his toned chest, muscles looking like they were carved out of rock through the skin tight material. Dark grey pants rode low on his hips, showing that tantalizing bit of abdomen.  
  
The cloaked figure tried not to fall into a puddle of drool.  
  
Kai lifted an eyebrow at his opponent. This year's tournament had been very lacking in any challenges. No doubt this would be no different. Tyson was asleep at home, the lazy idiot he was, and Max was busy. And Rei was...  
  
"Hello Kai."  
  
He glared at the cloaked man. As far as he knew this guy had not revealed himself in all his preliminary matches. "Who are you?" That voice was strangely familiar.  
  
"WELCOME to the Finals of the Japanese Beyblade Championships! On the left, we have Hiwatari Kai, a world champion beyblader and on the left, we have the mysterious... BLACK TIGER who has not revealed his identity as of yet!" D.J announced.  
  
Kai focused his gaze into the depths of that hood to try and see who this 'black tiger' was.  
  
"Kai, is a one tough beyblader, having utterly trashed all the blades of his previous opponents in this tournament. The mysterious Black Tiger also won all his matches faster than you could say 'cheese on a stick' by knocking his opponent out before they even touched the dish with his extra expensive blade!"  
  
"Hey A.J., isn't black tiger a type of shrimp?"  
  
"That's right! Shrimp Man is in the house!"  
  
The cloaked figure winced.  
  
"Kai fights with his ultra powerful bit beast Dranzer, but the Black Tiger's bit is still unknown, but hopefully we'll see it in this match."  
  
"And the special dish today, brought to you from Bladebreaker's Corporation, ironically, Kai's former team, is being revealed now!"  
  
Kai and the cloaked figure ignored the rising dish, still studying one another, though the masked man was doing a lot more studying than he should be doing... but who can resist?  
  
"Ahh... can you believe it! Today's dish is actually a recreation of Tokyo Tower!"  
  
"That's a whole lot of pavement there A.J." Brad Best said.  
  
"You got that right!"  
  
A slightly tanned hand emerged from the folds and gripped the black cloth of the cloak. The crowd silenced as the hand tossed the cloth dramatically in the air, letting it fall behind him in a small bundle.  
  
Gasps came from around the audience of those who recognised him. Black bangs, released from the confines of the cloth fell softly over a familiar red bandana with the yin and yang symbol, trailing off into a long rope of hair bound in black cloth. It was thrown carelessly over one shoulder sliding suggestively against the lean muscles outlined by the black Chinese singlet top, rich with silver embroidery. Baggy black gi pants hung loosely around his hips, the silk shifting and bunching with movement like a particularily lewd caress.  
  
Kai's eyes widened.  
  
"Miss me?" Amber eyes smiled at him brightly.  
  
The grey haired man opened his mouth, but the announcers beat him to the punch.  
  
"Oh my goodness A.J.! The Black Tiger is none other than fellow Bladebreaker and Japanese Finalist Kon Rei!"  
  
"This is proving to be quite a soap opera Brad."  
  
Rei met Kai's eyes, enjoying just seeing him again. Damn, the boy still looked gorgeous, even better than back then. "Let's get it on Kai." He purposely loaded his voice with innuendo, shifting his hands to his hips casually.  
  
Kai blinked. "Rei..." Confusion, shock, happiness and annoyance went through his mind all at once, dwindling his usually sharp mind to the intelligence of mud.  
  
Rei laughed a little. "At least I can see you remember me." Actually, he was pretty nervous himself. After all, being the idiot he was, it wouldn't be surprising to find himself blurting he was gay and confessing his somewhat confused feelings about Kai in front of the whole stadium and no doubt Japan.  
  
Rei blushed slightly as Kai just kept staring at him.  
  
"You've grown." Was all Kai managed to say.  
  
Rei sighed impatiently, itching to hug the other boy, though let's face it, it's KAI, and that sort of behavior is deemed an ultimate no-no to the guy's personal space. He hoped he could change that. Starting with beating him utterly in this match. He felt his eyes narrow, pupils dilating as everything became sharper in clarity. His breath quicked, anticipation making him bare his fangs slightly. "Beat me Kai, I dare you." Rei readied his launcher.  
  
Kai registered the innuendo entranced by the fangs that glinted against a moist, peachy and perfectly formed mouth. Dammit, this was not the time for those feelings again. As much as he wanted to become something more than friends, no, even FRIENDS to start out with, that kind of thing was impossible. For one thing, Rei had that annoying Mariah girl.  
  
Shaking the distracting thoughts from his mind, he brought Dranzer and launcher up.  
  
Kai smirked. He may never have what he want, but for now just having Rei back was enough. He would relish proving his skills to the boy again. He met the wild amber gaze with an equal intensity. "Let's get it on Rei."  
  
"3! 2! 1! Leeeeeet it RIP!"  
  
Stumbling slightly in shock over the loaded innuendo, coming from KAI of all people, Rei was relieved that he even launched at all. Thankfully his body had the motions of pulling the ripcord at that exact angle and tilting his shoulder slightly to the right angle to get maximum launch speed as a conditioned reflex. It would be more than embarrassing otherwise.  
  
The two beyblades danced around the looming model of Tokyo Tower, both refusing to make the first move.  
  
"Black Tiger, or should we say Rei's beyblade, Drigger D is a awesome piece of art, custom made and coated in diamond alloy! Yes, you heard right folks. Diamond!" Jazzman announced. "Kai's beyblade, Dranzer X is also custom made, from a new alloy named Gundamium, a tough blade that is more than enough of a match for Drigger."  
  
"Make your move Kai," Rei taunted.  
  
"Hard or slow Rei?" Kai countered, making Rei flush at the unexpected images that conjured.  
  
'Is he doing this on purpose?' Rei wondered, slightly stunned at this new side of Kai. When he looked back, there was nothing in the blank, emotionless face. 'He can't be doing this on purpose, well, not the way I think anyway.' But it was fun to play along as if he were.  
  
Purposely he licked his lips, but kept the rest of his face blank. "Give it to me hard and fast Kai."  
  
Kai blinked and smirked. "Dranzer, attack." He didn't so much as look at his beyblade, keeping his eyes solely on Rei.  
  
"Drigger, dodge and slash," Rei murmured almost absentmindedly, captivated by the heated gleam in Kai's eyes.  
  
In the dish, Dranzer shot straight at Drigger, who appropriately dodged and countered, both beyblades continuing their dance around the dish in an almost synchronised twist of attack and counter.  
  
Everything ceased to exist except them and the dish.  
  
"Rei, you're not paying attention. Not enjoying yourself? Or is this not to your satisfaction?" Kai kept his voice even, speaking softly.  
  
"I'm paying plenty of attention..."  
  
"Dranzer." Kai cut in curtly, waving an arm lazily in motion. Rei's eyes widened as Drigger D was suddenly propelled from the dish to land at his feet. "Is that the best you can give?"  
  
"And the first round goes to KAI!!!"  
  
Rei cursed silently, narrowing his eyes as he picked Drigger up. He really wasn't paying attention. The last time he was beaten that easily was back in his village days! This was unforgivable for a blader of his skill. Kai or no Kai, he came to win. It was NOT the time to flirt.  
  
Kai watched as Rei's face went cold and hard, a total contrast from his earlier mood.  
  
"I came here to win. No one, not even you can stop me from doing that." With fluid motions, Rei attached Drigger to his launcher. Kai had a memory of himself saying the exact words with the same uncaring tone. It was strange to hear it from the usually genial Rei.  
  
"Bladers, get ready!" Jazzman did a twirl. "3, 2, 1, LEEEEET IT..."  
  
"Stop." The voice cut in loudly from the speakers, filling the whole dome. Icy blue eyes filled the wide screen, shadowed slightly with blonde hair, the familiar freckles still on the same pale cheeks.  
  
Rei frowned, staring at the wide screen. "What is it Max? I thought you said you wouldn't come."  
  
"Ah, but I never said I wouldn't watch. Ladies and Gentlemen, I regret to inform you this tournament is over."  
  
"Why?" Kai asked, feeling foolish by asking a screen the question.  
  
Rei gripped his blade, his palms starting to hurt from the piercing sting of the blades into the skin. What was this? A few nights ago Max had encouraged his win.  
  
"The two finalists, Kon Rei and Hiwatari Kai will split the prize money and the match will be a draw." Max went on, his voice not allowing any argument.  
  
"You have no right to do this," Rei said quietly, clicking his Drigger calmly onto the launcher and slipping the ripcord through with practiced hands. Kai nodded in agreement, staring coldly at the wide screen. The audience started to 'boo' loudly.  
  
"Those crowds are getting rowdy AJ, can he actually do this?"  
  
"Well he DOES own the Japanese tournament now..." Brad Best trailed off.  
  
"I'm putting a stop to this tournament." Max repeated, his face showing none of the reasons behind the interruption.  
  
"And I'm putting a stop to you." Rei's annoyance was evident as he launched Drigger into the air. Max knew what the match meant to him. There were no answers coming if that expression was any indication. To stop a match without giving a reason was not only against the rules, but personally aggravating. This was unreasonable.  
  
"What are you doing?" Kai hissed, walking over. He narrowed his eyes at the screen. Of all of the team, Max had been the one that had changed that most. He had heard of the Bladebreakers Corporation's conquests, all of them brutal and ruthless takeovers instrumented by the Director personally. Kai scowled at the thought but brushed it aside for now.  
  
Rei smiled mischievously. "Property damage." A white blur passed over all the screens with Max's face, slicing them all in half easily, but keeping the screens intact enough to not fall into the audience. Rei let the angry scowl fall from his face. He'll have to shake some sense into Max later.  
  
"You've changed." Kai noted, placing a hand on Rei's shoulder.  
  
A shiver ran up from the warmth of Kai's hand. "A little." Rei caught the blade as it returned, glancing at the other man. "Kai... um..."  
  
The audience was leaving, disappointed faces filling the crowd.  
  
"What?" This meeting was strange to say the least.  
  
Rei twiddled his fingers, facing the problem at hand, and the main reason he had entered the tournament. He was flat broke. "Can I borrow some money? Uh, just until I receive the prize money. I've been living in a hotel till now and I don't have the money left to pay for the room and..."  
  
"You can stay with me." What? Kai blinked. Did he REALLY just say that?  
  
Rei looked at him like he had turned into a goldfish. "Kai, did you just say, 'You can stay with me'?"  
  
Like there was some higher being controlling his actions, Kai nodded. "Yes." Huh? He felt the need to hit himself. It was against all his normal principles to invite ANYONE into his home, much less someone who was a practical stranger to him now. Especially when the stranger happened to be Rei. The far too initimate setting of them alone in his home... where he could just... Kai shook the explicit dirty thoughts out of his head with an iron mental shove.  
  
Rei looked confused as Kai shook his head. "So... no."  
  
"You may stay." Kai almost succumbed to the urge of slapping his hands over his mouth in horror. The wince as it was uncomfortably visible.  
  
Rei smiled again, "Thanks."  
  
Kai watched as those temptingly soft peach coloured lips widened in a grin and inwardly groaned. He had to survive living with that!? A hand ran through his hair in a nervous habit he had acquired somewhere along the way.  
  
The black haired neko-jin watched as his crush ran a hand through those soft grey locks. Though ecstatic, Rei was damned nervous. His mind conjured impossible images of an apartment with only one room, and one bed, forcing them to share... breakfast in bed, a sex toy here and there. Unknowingly his grin widened with hentaied thoughts. Bad Rei.

* * *

A hand ran through the short strands of light, wheat coloured, blonde hair. Blue eyes stared sadly at the flickering screen.  
  
"Did I do the right thing?" Max asked himself, no guilt present in his tone of voice. It wasn't a question so much as a cynical observation.  
  
"No."  
  
He glanced at the other person in the room. A young man, chestnut brown hair falling over his eyes, leaned against the doorframe, a worried purse to his lips. His lean body was covered in rumpled business shirt with the buttons undone and ordinary suit pants, arms folded across his chest.  
  
Max lifted his lips slightly in acknowledgement at the younger man. "Kenny. So you heard."  
  
The other walked towards him, sitting comfortably on his lap, head fitting in the curve of his shoulder. "Max, I'm worried about you. Ever since you and Tyson broke up, you've been a cold bastard to almost everyone. Even me. And now Rei."  
  
The blonde ran his fingers lightly through his lover's hair. "Kenny, if you have a problem..."  
  
Kenny gave a short laugh, leaning closer to the gentle touch. "I have no problem with what we have. The arrangement suits us both. But as your friend, not your lover or business partner, I'm telling you, talk to Tyson. It isn't right to play around with Rei and Kai like this."  
  
"Must you bring him up?" Max whispered in Kenny's ear, wrapping his arms around the other's waist. "I'm just playing a little matchmaker that's all. If Rei had won, and he would have against Kai's current condition, Kai would have resented him. And I want Rei to be happy."  
  
Kenny sighed. "Do you Max? I admit, Kai has gotten weaker in beyblading terms, but Rei has always been the weakest of us."  
  
"I matched with him recently, he may be better than even Tyson now." Max murmured, lips scrapping along Kenny's bared neck.  
  
"Oh?" Kenny said a little breathlessly, "You've been seeing him behind my back?"  
  
Max chuckled. "Jealous?"  
  
"A little. You shouldn't have stopped the tournament. Kai has probably black listed you in his mind. You've said yourself, he is nearly unbeatable." Kenny turned in Max's arms, fingers loosening Max's shirt buttons.  
  
"Almost. All of the Bladebreakers can beat him now. He will need to realise that. He's going soft. I kind of miss the stick up his arse Kai." Max sucked in a breath as Kenny's lips touched his skin.  
  
"Who's stick might that be?" Kenny teased, nipping at Max's neck.  
  
"No more talk." Max pressed his lips firmly against the brunette's mouth. "Everything can wait."  
  
Kenny moaned as their bodies started to grind together. "Dizzy, cancel the 1o'clock meeting."  
  
A female figure stood outside the door, long, almost knee length, red hair floating carelessly behind her slim shoulders. "Sure Chief," She said cheerily, saluting and shutting the door behind her to give the two boys some privacy while processing the command. Her eyes sparkled into hearts as she watched them. "Kawaii..." Not many bit beasts get to see such yummy yaoi action. She was so lucky.  
  
: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :  
  
"Nice place." Rei stood in front of the apartment complex, purposely looking away from Kai. The trip here had been awkward. Both of them just didn't know what to say.  
  
"Hn." Kai grunted. "Let me help you with that." His hand reached for the luggage at Rei's feet.  
  
"No, it's okay." Their fingertips touched, causing Rei to blush pink.  
  
Kai stared at the pretty splash of colour on Rei's face, speaking the first thing that came to mind. "You would make a gorgeous uke Rei."  
  
Rei blinked. "What?" Well that was certainly random.  
  
Realising what he had said, Kai turned away, taking the handle of Rei's bag. "N-nothing. Don't worry about it." Why was he so nervous? He was supposed to be stoic dammit! He had a reputation to keep. With that, Kai started to walk slightly faster.  
  
Rei ran after the other boy. "Wait a minute, did you call me a uke?!" He was slightly miffed. Uke? Since when did he look like a uke?! Sure he had abnormally long hair, but dammit, he wasn't a some easy lay that needed sex!  
  
Kai didn't answer, wanting the blood to pull away from his flaming cheeks. What was wrong with him? He DID NOT blush. He hurriedly went faster up the stairs.  
  
"Stop! Kai! You just called me a uke!" Rei exclaimed indignantly.  
  
Kai stopped on the stairs, sighing, what idiotic parts of his brain made him say that? He turned to smirk at the other man. "You would make a good uke," he stated plainly. Better to live with it than turn coward. With that, he climbed the rest of the stairs and opened the front door of his apartment.  
  
Rei stared as Kai disappeared into the apartment. His eyes started to twitch in annoyance and he slammed open the door. "I AM NOT A UKE!!!"  
  
Kai looked up with wide eyes as he set Rei's luggage down.  
  
Several neighbours poked their heads into the doorway behind Rei, whispering, 'Kai is gay?', 'That's his bitch?', 'Oooh...interesting.'  
  
Kai and Rei blanched, both like deer in headlights as the neighbours gossiped right in the hallway. "Err, Rei, can you shut the door now?" Cheeks flaming, Rei shut the door obediently.  
  
Rei pawed the ground with his feet. "Sorry. I have a tendency to do that."  
  
"Hn." Kai grunted, looking away. "Make yourself at home. The guestroom is down the hallway on the right. I'll be in the kitchen."  
  
"Hai." Rei looked around the small but neat apartment, almost bare of furniture with traditional Japanese floorboards and tatami mats spread on the floor. There was no personal touches he could find, everything was like a sterile showroom for Japanese furniture. It made a shiver run through him that anyone could live in such a cold, empty place.  
  
Taking his shoes off and placing them at the door, Rei picked his luggage up and walked down the hallway to the left. "I never knew Kai was a neat freak," he mused to himself. Though it wasn't unexpected really. The floorboards were waxed to the point of being slippery under his feet and so clean it shined. The unnaturally cleanness of the rooms added to the still silence... which was oddly comforting. There were no disturbances here, he could barely hear the sound of Kai moving about. Loneliness was seeped inch thick into the walls.  
  
Two doors were open at the end of the hallway.  
  
"Right door." Rei turned and placed his bag in the wall closet and noted the futon and blankets folded in there. A large window let in the sunlight on the tatami mats. This room, like all the others, was almost manically clean.  
  
Curious, Rei walked across the hall and peeked into the bedroom, which was obviously Kai's. He recoiled, momentarily blinded as a mess of colour invaded his eyes, and his senses was shot through with smells and tastes that lingered in the air. The room was packed. As if the whole apartment's furniture had been stuffed in the one room, making you feel like you've been sucked into a another dimension from the cold drabness of the other rooms. A bed lay in front of a large screen TV and two bedside tables were packed with electronic devices. A table sat under the window with a computer and many other things on top.  
  
Including a large cage with a large glittery sign painted in green with the words, 'Rei the Bunny Rabbit' in giant letters.  
  
Rei felt a sweatdrop weigh down the side of his head. Sure enough, a fluffy bunny chewed on a piece of lettuce inside the cage. "Well that's kind of disturbing... "  
  
"What are you doing in here?!"  
  
Rei spun. "Kai! Sorry, I was just curious and..." He watched the pink tinge on the grey haired boy's cheeks. Rei's eyes went over to the cage. "Err... you have a pet named after me?"  
  
Kai pulled Rei out of his room. "It looks like you." And promptly shut the door.  
  
"Should I be flattered or insulted by that?"  
  
"Neither. Deal with it. Dinner's ready." Kai said tonelessly, walking away.  
  
Rei smiled. "Same old Kai. You never could tell anyone your weaknesses."  
  
Kai stopped walking. "I am not weak."  
  
"And I'm not a uke." Rei countered.  
  
With his back to the neko-jin, Kai smiled. "But you are. You would be a good uke."  
  
Gorgeous babe or not, Rei suddenly had the urge to flip Kai off. Gritting his teeth, he followed Kai into the main room, where a table had been set up with cushions in the typical Japanese style, steaming plates of food temptingly on top. And with a serving of hot grey haired male at the table too. Needless to say, Rei sat down.  
  
Kai blinked as Rei brought his legs up in a lotus position, which looked very uncomfortable, but severely fascinating. So Rei was flexible. Smiling to himself, he brought the chopsticks to his mouth.  
  
Rei felt the silence growing awkward again as they ate. Why couldn't he talk to Kai at all? He had no problem talking with anyone else. All he had to do was to get his mouth open and his tongue working to get Kai to open up.  
  
Rei almost choked on his rice as the mental command brought up quite different images, his face reddened as his mind took a flying leap into the gutter.  
  
Kai raised a perfectly arched grey eyebrow. "Hot? Want me to turn on the air conditioner?" He gestured to the machine on the wall with his chopsticks.  
  
Rei shook his head. He was hot, but it wasn't the weather. And he doubted central air conditioning could cure his current condition anyway. "So, Kai," he cleared his throat, "How have you been doing? Seen the others lately? I just got back to Japan myself."  
  
"Well. No, I have no interest in them."  
  
Rei almost fell over. Geez it was hard talking to this guy. "Any new hobbies other than Rei the bunny?" He asked.  
  
"No."  
  
"Jobs?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Relationships?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Did you know that the best method of preventing sexually transmitted diseases was using a condom?"  
  
Kai nearly spitted his rice out. "What?"  
  
Rei smiled, finally to get a reaction. "I least I know you're listening."  
  
Kai retreated in his seat. "I don't need to know about your sex life Rei. All I said was that you look like a uke... comparatively." He was pushing back the flood of blood to his cheeks by will alone. He wanted to slap himself for bringing up that slip of tongue again.  
  
The black haired young man put down his bowl and chopsticks. "Hmph. I'll have you know I've never been an uke, since the seme or uke is mostly in proportion to size, most people I've dated naturally take the bottom," Rei stated.  
  
Kai narrowed his eyes, suddenly feeling self-conscious. Just how did they get into this kind of conversation anyway?  
  
"Are you questioning my... size?" He asked incredulously.  
  
"No, no, just saying that if anyone would make a good uke, it would be you Kai." Rei was quite aware he had no control on what he was saying anymore. In fact, he was expecting a lightning bolt to strike him dead anytime soon. "You have the cold bastard attitude that screams, 'dominate me' in a hot little BDSM scene, full of handcuffs and whips."  
  
Kai opened and closed his mouth. Is that REALLY how he seemed? He was just being anti-social! There was nothing wrong with that!  
  
Rei smiled leeringly at the blushing Kai, the dinner forgotten on the table. "Plus, size doesn't matter, it's what you do with it."  
  
Kai suddenly dived, startling Rei mid-speech as he was pushed to the ground. "I am not an uke." What could have been a fight was quickly driven out of Rei's mind as Kai crushed his lips against the black haired boy's, feeling the other's breath catch in surprise. "And you Rei, are a pervert."  
  
Kai drew back, a hand resting on the floor on either side of Rei's head.  
  
Rei looked like an elephant had just kicked him in the groin.  
  
The moment of stunned shock on both sides evaporated as Rei regained some semblance of thinking, and promptly pulled Kai down again. This meeting of their lips was no less feverish, like a sort of starvation that he had never known before. Rei suddenly needed this more than air, was in fact trading quite adequately for it as Kai's tongue hesitantly flickered over his lips. He felt his hand trapped against the floor in one of Kai's, and suddenly Kai's weight pressing down against his him, their bodies fitting together like two jigsaw puzzles in a haze of heat, and he really couldn't breathe, but it was so good... so very very good.  
  
Rei couldn't help sucking the little breaths from Kai's mouth, feeling lightheaded and just plain needy.  
  
And to think, they've only been in the same room for an hour.  
  
The small noises that came from Kai's throat made Rei's hand tighten around Kai's, the slow grind of their bodies erasing all possibility of rational thought. Rei couldn't help moaning, arching his back and catching the other boy completely by surprise as he found their positions suddenly reversed and with Rei on top.  
  
There was a moment of surreal reality as they caught their breath, sucking in oxygen and panting as they stared at each other, gazes locking. Then Rei leaned down again, his nose making a path down Kai's cheek to his collar, not touching, just sensing, feeling Kai shiver as his breath brushed the skin, and smelling the deeply arousing scent that called to him from Kai's body.  
  
Knock! Knock!  
  
Rei moved his lips to whisper breathlessly in Kai's ear. "Ignore it." His hands busied themselves loosening the scarf around Kai's neck; lips making a hot trail of little kisses and nips.  
  
Knock Knock.  
  
"REI!!! ARE YOU IN THERE!?"  
  
Kai's and Rei's eyes widened at the feminine and horribly familiar voice.  
  
With a defeated groan, Rei rolled off the panting young man he so wanted to jump, standing up fluidly. He gave an apologetic glance at the sexy figure of Kai. "Sorry about this... hold that thought."  
  
A scowl marred his face as he almost ripped open the door, a snarl halfway out before he even spoke, "WHAT!?"  
  
The pink haired girl outside gave a cheerful smile. "Rei! I knew you would be here! I followed you! I found a hotel room for us, but I've kind of run out of cash, so I thought we could share it... " Mariah backed away a little when she saw that Rei's usually annoyed amber eyes had turned into a furious red. "Rei-chan... what's wrong? I only came to save you from Kai, he's such a anti-social guy that I thought I'd be doing you a favour... "  
  
"GET. OUT." Rei growled dangerously, taking a breath, "I don't know how to found this place, but for the last time, LEAVE ME ALONE, AND GO THE FUCK HOME!" And with that, Rei punted Mariah down the stairs and slammed the door closed.  
  
His face softened as he turned. "Kai I'm sorry I... " he trailed off. There was no sexy grey haired bishounen as he should be on the floor. In fact, Rei would bet that the door to Kai's bedroom was now locked. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Damn."  
  
With a disappointed smile, Rei picked up the forgotten dishes from dinner and headed toward the kitchen. At least he knew that Kai had no objections to hot boy on boy action.  
  
Meanwhile, inside the locked bedroom, the same grey haired bishounen was busy hitting his head against the wall in frustration and utter mortification. There was no doubt that Rei had the upper hand in that situation. And to think they had blatantly made out on his nice pristine floor! The horror, THE HORROR!  
  
Sunshine flitted down on his eyes from the open windows. With groan, Kai opened his eyes, got up efficiently and opened the door. The first thing he saw was Rei with nothing but a towel on, juggling dishes in his hands.  
  
The freed mane of hair trailed behind him in soft tresses, still wet from the shower, glistening down a perfectly sculpted chest.  
  
Kai blinked and rubbed his eyes. Was this a dream? What was Rei doing in his apartment?  
  
The black haired beauty, like a god in the morning sunlight turned and smiled at him. "Morning sunshine." Before he could react, Kai felt supple lips molded quickly but heatedly against his, tearing apart conscious thought in his already muddled, half awake mind.  
  
Rei pulled away smiling. "I thought I'll cook breakfast for you before I left for work, to thank you for letting me stay."  
  
Huh? What did he drink last night? More importantly, what did he DO? Kai touched his lips with his fingers while watching the other boy disappear with a tantalising swing of hips into the adjoining guest room, sliding the door shut behind him.  
  
Kai's eyes widened in sudden recollection. He had invited Rei to stay in his house and in the span of an hour they had been... He stared at the spot on the floor beside the dinner table with a slight wince.  
  
Rei sauntered from the room, fully dressed now, hair tied up again, and clothed in simple white shirt and jeans, which somehow still made him look like a sexy bastard.  
  
"Kai, sorry to run out on you like this, but I need to get to work. Here's the restaurant's business card, if you want me or get hungry, whatever. I'll be back in the afternoon."  
  
Kai numbly took the card and was taken completely by surprise again as Rei leaned in and kissed him, sending tingles of pleasure down his back.  
  
"I'm not giving up on you Kai. You'll be mine." Another searing kiss that nearly blew Kai's socks off.  
  
When he got any sort of collected thought back, the former white tiger was gone.  
  
Kai promptly slapped himself out of the daze. "I need coffee." He shook his head just a little, as he drained a ready-made cup on the table. "On second thought..." He pulled out and snapped on blue rubber gloves with 'Kai' inscribed on them from behind his back. He looked determinedly at that spot on the floor. "I need to clean."  
  
Rei smiled as he went down the stairs, absentmindedly tying his headband under his hair. The lobby of the building was bathed with bright sunshine, reflecting off the tile floors with piles of mail on the left and a pink tent on the right.  
  
Pink... tent?  
  
Amber eyes narrowing, Rei peeked inside and sure enough, the familiar and unwelcome face of a sleeping stalker was inside, huddled in a pink sleeping bag, and clutching a pillow that was disturbingly shaped like his head.  
  
He glanced to the left and smiled as he saw a particularly large packaging box. Making as little noise as possible, he lifted the girl out, folded the tent, laid it on the bottom of the box, then dumped the girl unceremoniously inside. Taking out a roll of sticky tape he had for emergencies such as this, he solidly taped the box closed, and wrote quick address on it before sticking on a stamp from the piles of mail with his saliva.  
  
Feeling better, Rei carried the box outside and put it on the curb, Mariah, being oblivious in Rei obsessed dreams, slept on.  
  
"That should get her off my back for a while." Whistling, Rei headed towards the Chinese restaurant for his first breakfast shift.

* * *

Scarf lifting wildly in the wind behind him, Kai stared at the sign of the restaurant. He had his own business to look after, but since his grandfather still refused to kick the bucket, he didn't really have much to do except do the menial paperwork with the occasional kicking opposition butt. But that was no excuse for him to waste his time here.  
  
Especially since he had been standing outside for at least 20 minutes now.  
  
A scowl touched his lips in sudden determination. Rather than look like an idiot, he would go in, and stop deluding himself. He wanted to see Rei. And he was hungry.  
  
The late afternoon sun reflected his shadow on the glass tinted door as he reached for the handle.  
  
Suddenly it opened from the inside, hitting his hand away.  
  
"Kai? Gee, I would've never thought you would actually come," Rei said, knowing that annoyed scowl all too well.  
  
The grey haired man took out an envelope. "The prize money." Ah, no Hiwatari was so unprepared in the face of possible embarrassment. Kai handed the perfect excuse to Rei.  
  
The black haired man opened it with a frown. "I guess this means I don't have to bother you anymore ne? Is that why you came? To get me out of your place as fast as possible?"  
  
Okay, so he hadn't thought of that. Kai stared at those sad amber eyes. "No," he said hastily, then cleared his throat, his voice back to the toneless monotone he was used to. "The tournament people called me today to pick our prize money up. It is only fair you get it." Kai turned his back, crossing his arms. "I have no problem with you staying." His stomach interrupted his meaningfully stoic act with a loud rumble.  
  
Rei smiled. "Hungry?"  
  
"Hn, I didn't have lunch yet."  
  
"Great," Rei grabbed Kai's hand, walking fast down the street. "I know a great place we can eat, I've had enough of Chinese food for the day."  
  
Kai suddenly found himself pulled along, his hand held tightly in Rei's. "Where are we going?" They turned several alleys in the fast darkening twilight.  
  
Rei didn't answer for a while, turning yet another corner. "Here."  
  
A buffet? Kai turned to Rei with a frown. "I am not Tyson."  
  
The other man laughed. "It isn't THAT bad! We're both hungry, and damned if I'm going to spend money on less than 100% quantity food. My treat."  
  
"Quantity? Isn't that suppose to be quality... oof." With a slight tug, Rei pulled him inside.  
  
A few hours later they stepped out, a toothpick still in Rei's mouth.  
  
"Now that is satisfaction."  
  
"You eat too much," Kai said curtly, taking a mental note to work out the fat he had gained tonight. Flab was something he definitely didn't like.  
  
Rei grinned, walking backwards to face him, the dark walls of the alleyway surrounding them. "You eat too little Kai. I almost never see you eat! You'll become a stick!" Though from where he was standing, that was certainly not true. Kai was perfectly proportioned as he was.  
  
"Hmph."  
  
Amber eyes studied him for a few moments. "I bet you're wondering why I get off early today when I work in a restaurant huh?"  
  
Kai blinked. That was the furthest thing from his mind, what he was thinking of involved skin, leather straps, and Rei in nothing but.  
  
Taking the silence as a yes, Rei continued, still walking backwards carefully. "Well, since I started, I worked a deal with the boss to work late on the weekends, taking the midnight shift, but on weekdays I take the morning and lunch shifts. At least until I get enough money to tide me over." He flicked the toothpick into the darkness. "You can't expect much else when you've been a country boy for most of your life."  
  
'But I can take care of you,' Kai thought, but said nothing to voice it. It was too out of character to say it out loud. Especially for him.  
  
"At least with the prize money I have some extra funds now." Rei suddenly stopped as a sound echoed off the walls near by.  
  
Kai's eyes narrowed, his body tensing.  
  
"Who's there?" The Black Tiger called into the night, his voice hard and calm.  
  
A match struck somewhere in the darkness, and five figures appeared, smoke trails coming from their cigarettes as they walked slowly toward them.  
  
"Well, well, what do we have here? Two little kids with a hefty prize money did I hear?" The leader, a man cast in shadow, face only dimly lit by his cigarette, revealing harshly tanned skin and rough lines around his eyes and mouth, under a mop of dark hair and slanted eyebrows.  
  
Kai's hand went slightly to his side in range of Dranzer.  
  
The four behind the man laughed meanly.  
  
"What do you want?" Rei asked calmly, not making any moves at all. The five were large men, slightly taller than them, with bulky forms and menacing looking beyblades attached to their wrist guards.  
  
Beyblades?  
  
"Give all your valuables over or I'll trash your blade." The leader brought his other hand to his wrist guard's launcher.  
  
Kai sneered and closed his hand around Dranzer.  
  
Rei rolled his eyes. He never did understand how everyone they met always challenged them to beyblade matches, even if they were petty thieves. Just what did they think they were going to do? Clink a piece of metal against their shoes?! It was laughable with his degree of skill.  
  
"Che, another lot of idiots. You couldn't beat us if you tried." Rei jumped and kicked the man in the face, spinning around with the momentum to then slam a fist into the fledging on his right. He smirked, landing softly to bewildered stares.  
  
"Get him!"  
  
Kai scowled, letting go of Dranzer and tornado kicking the larger man in his solar plexus, deeming him unconscious in one blow. These men were far below them in both physical and beyblade skills. They stood no chance. But why would Rei want a fistfight when a beyblade match would be less strenuous?  
  
A flash of white shone in Rei's hand as he pressed the leader into a wall, a hand gripping the man's face viciously. The blade cut a thin line of blood on the man's neck.  
  
"Is this what you want?" He asked. Fangs bared menacingly, lips curled in a sneer. "It's made of diamond you know, cuts everything on the known planet, especially skin and bone. Wouldn't it be ironic for you to die by it?"  
  
Kai felt his fist hit another of the fledgling's face, his eyes trained on this new side of Rei.  
  
The leader shook his head, unable to speak or breathe with Rei's hand covering his air passage. Sweat and fear could be easily smelled off him as well as the crisp scent of blood.  
  
Amber eyes, pupils dilated to black slits against the gold bore down on the man. "Don't try to take us on unless you plan on suffering the consequences."  
  
Fearfully, the trapped man nodded, body heaving for breath.  
  
With a sneer of disgust, Rei let him go; wiping his hands casually on the man's clothes before turning to grin cheerfully again back at Kai. "Let's go home ne?"  
  
Kai saw the glint of a hand knife appear in the man's hands and opened his mouth, "Watch out!"  
  
Rei spun in time to see the blade heading for his eyes.  
  
BAMN!  
  
Out of nowhere the sheathed edge of a sword landed viciously on the gang leader's head, followed swiftly by a hit with the hilt, rendering him totally unconscious, a broken heap on the ground.  
  
Kai and Rei stared in surprise as the owner of the sword rested the sheathed weapon casually on one shoulder, a hand gripping the hilt easily while the other hand took the toothpick from lips that curled in a smile.  
  
"Yo. Long time no see." The free hand tilted the black cap up from his forehead, revealing familiar obsidian blue eyes under a shield of unruly raven blue hair.  
  
Rei gaped. "T-Tyson?! Why the heck do you have a sword?" Tyson had grown taller since he last remembered, standing slightly shorter than him with a black top overlapped by most likely, the same red, open t-shirt and loose belted black pants. Well, at least he got rid of those hideous knee socks.  
  
The young man smirked. "I'm the current master of my dojo's style of Kendo. I succeeded my grandfather a year or so after the world tournament was over."  
  
Rei scratched his head. "Gee, and here I thought you were being a lazy pig like you usually were... especially since you came from the buffet."  
  
Tyson smiled sheepishly and shrugged. "I'm still a growing boy, I need to eat."  
  
Kai glanced at the direction of the restaurant and heard the familiar wails of, 'I'm RUINED! I'm RUINED!! THERE IS NO MORE FOOD LEFT!' and raised one eyebrow delicately.  
  
"Uh... hehehe, it ain't my fault they don't stock enough food," Tyson complained, slipping his sword to hang from his belt.  
  
Rei laughed, "Same old Tyson. Where are you heading? Want to get a drink or something with us?"  
  
The now kendoist shook his head, grinning still. "Nah, I'm gonna go over and rescue Kenny from work. No doubt Dizzy and that guy are slave driving him to the ground."  
  
"That guy?" Kai asked.  
  
Tyson shrugged again. "You know."  
  
Rei looked at their friend knowingly. 'Looks like Tyson and Max has stuff to work out.' "Mind if we go with you?" He asked instead.  
  
"Sure I could use the company." He gave a sidelong glance at Rei. "So Rei... how come you and Kai have been so chummy lately? I hear you're living together. I do hope you guys have protec..."  
  
Kai smacked the back of Tyson's head. "It's none of your business."  
  
Rei felt his face heat up. "I have no idea what you're talking about."  
  
Tyson winked. "I dunno Rei, the two of you living together... both of you virile young men with no objections to exploring..." He trailed off with a knowing wink.  
  
Rei blushed and a hint of red could be seen on Kai's face as they started walking down the alleyway again.  
  
Tyson smirked. "Then again, Kai's too much of a grouch to-"  
  
"That's enough," Kai growled in annoyance, the red tint on his face taking away much of the menace of the words.  
  
Tyson laughed, casually studying the changes in both of his friends. "Okay, okay, I'll let off. It's been a while since I've teased you guys though. Ah, those were the days."  
  
Rei chuckled, "You're starting to sound like your grandpa, but he sounds even younger than you!"  
  
"Ugh, don't remind me."  
  
Rei whistled. "They sure have it made here!"  
  
The building with never ending stories of levels stretched to the sky, a pillar of steel and glass, glinting almost menacingly in the moonlight, but no less impressive. The glass doors slid open as they walked towards it, Kai with the usual indifferent, not quite glare, Rei in awe and gawking like a tourist and Tyson walking purposely through.  
  
"TYSON!!!"  
  
A red blur raced toward them, latching on in a firm hug and barreling both to the ground.  
  
Rei stared at the beautiful woman with long red hair and a skintight white dress with an exorbitant amount of frills currently hugging the life out of Tyson. He fought the involuntary shudder from memories of Mariah doing the exact same thing.  
  
The glint of deadly steel flashed through the air toward Tyson's head before they could blink.  
  
A sharp clang echoed through the stunned reception area as Tyson's sword came out of the sheath to counter the attack.  
  
"You'll have to do better than that Dizzy."  
  
The red haired woman pouted, putting the sword away somewhere behind her. "Aw, you're no fun Tyson. But it's SOOOOO great to see you!"  
  
"Ack!" Tyson found himself in another bone crunching hug.  
  
Rei registered the words in disbelief. "Dizzy?" There was no way...  
  
The red head released Tyson with a cry of delight, leaving the boy to crumble to the ground.  
  
"REI!!!"  
  
Glomp.  
  
"And Kai!"  
  
Dizzy stopped, arms outstretched, as she was suddenly the recipient of a death glare. Sweat dropping, she chose to grin instead at the grey haired man.  
  
Rei and Tyson picked themselves up from the floor.  
  
The first thing that came out of Rei's mouth was, "IMPOSTER!!!" He pointed wildly at the normal looking young woman. "You-you-you! There is no way you could be Dizzy!" he started making square motions with his hands. "Dizzy was trapped in a laptop and she was a bit beast! There is no way you could be her unless you have the same name or Kenny is really perverted... but if you do have the same name then how could you know my name and Kai's unless you are a fan of the bladebreakers which is worse since then you're just a crazy fan girl like Mariah! IN ANY CASE! YOU ARE AN IMPOSTER!"  
  
Rei panted for breath, pointing straight at the woman with his finger of truth.  
  
The reception area had gotten deadly silent.  
  
Tyson sweat dropped. "Finished?" He calmly sheathed his sword.  
  
A cheerful smile lit Dizzy's face. "Nah, nothing like that Rei-kun! Well, the part about Chief being perverted is right, and I would know since I've seen what porn sites he goes to when I was still in his lap top..."  
  
"Dizzy!" A familiar voice cried in mortification from across the room.  
  
The girl turned and waved as a familiar guy with hair that always seemed to cover his eyes ran up to them. "Hi Chief!"  
  
Tyson grinned. "Yo Chief, what's this about you looking at porn?"  
  
The pale face under chestnut coloured bangs reddened in embarrassment. "Tyson!"  
  
The other laughed heartily in reply.  
  
Kai studied the red haired woman. "So it's true. Kenny downloaded you into an android body. I heard rumors." He turned to the flustered teen. "That is an act of true perversion."  
  
Rei burst in laughter. "Hahaha! You dog Chief! I bet you designed her yourself eh?"  
  
Kenny's face reddened even more if possible. "Can we take this to a somewhere a little less public?" He urged.  
  
"Sure thing Chief."  
  
Rei and Kai's eyes widened as the area around them suddenly enclosed in a blinding globe of light. A second later as their vision cleared, they were in a lab of flashing screens and wall-to-wall highly complicated looking technology.  
  
"Wha..."  
  
Kenny situated himself on a computer chair, visibly relaxing and happier in this kind of environment. Dizzy stood behind him still smiling cheerfully. "Long time no see guys."  
  
"What are you talking about Chief? And what's with the dramatic chair effect? I just saw you last week!" Tyson ruffled Kenny's hair affectionately.  
  
Rei whistled again. "Quite an establishment you have here. Reminds me of that room they have in the BBA where those fancy computers all were, and we had to pull you out kicking and screaming. You must really like it here huh?"  
  
Kenny reddened at the comment on his less than dignified behaviour back then, feeling Dizzy's arms wound around his neck. "He sure does," Dizzy answered for him.  
  
"How did you get us here?" Kai demanded with a frown.  
  
Tyson answered before Dizzy could open her mouth again. "Dizzy ain't actually some kind of robot. Chief here made her into a program which is directly linked to him and the building so she's like a fancy way of public transport."  
  
Dizzy shot him a halfhearted glare. "You make me feel so appreciated Tyson."  
  
Kenny shook his head. "To put it more correctly, Dizzy is her bit beast self projected in her own human form, which is directly linked to me and the equipment here as a power source."  
  
Rei nodded, "So what you're saying is that she's a projection of your dirty thoughts."  
  
Kenny face faulted.  
  
"Just kidding. She's kind of like that chick in the anime Lost Universe right?"  
  
The others looked confused.  
  
Rei sighed, "Never mind." His eyes narrowed suddenly. "Where's Max?"  
  
Kai crossed his arms. "That's right. I have a few words to say to him."  
  
"Uh..." Dizzy panicked at the menacing looks on the two men.  
  
"He's busy," Kenny said calmly. "Max is currently over in the USA for a general business meeting."  
  
"Good." Tyson muttered.  
  
Rei accepted that, glancing quickly at Tyson before looked around. "Why do you need all of this anyway?"  
  
Dizzy smiled, "Simple Rei-kun. Maxie plans to take over the BBA."  
  
The words echoed in the room at the stunned audience.  
  
Tyson sneered just a little. "He's getting more like his mother everyday. Heartless bastard."  
  
Kenny looked sharply at him. "That isn't true Tyson. You know what Max was like. Everything he did was to seek love and attention, anyway he could..."  
  
Rei got over the shock, silently agreeing with Kenny. His mind travelled back to the days when Max would touch any of them, a hug, a hand casually on the shoulder affectionately, always the happy boy of the group with a smile on his face. It was a shock to find out how he was treated by his mother of all people, who was such a cold and uncaring person. The kind of person it seemed, Max was turning into. But from his dinner with the guy, there was still the same happy Max underneath somewhere.  
  
"He's a fool to think he can take over the BBA." Kai mused scornfully.  
  
"He's halfway there," Kenny clarified. "Right now, none of us can stop him, except..." He trailed off but everyone saw him glance at Tyson.  
  
"He's the one that broke it off," Tyson said quietly.  
  
The silence had gotten distinctly uncomfortable.  
  
Rei broke it by giving in to a yawn. Kai glanced at him quickly. The neko- jin smiled tiredly. "Sorry, not meaning to be rude and all, but it is late and I need to get up tomorrow to work double shifts at another place after I'm done at the restaurant."  
  
Kenny and Tyson looked at him in surprise. "You work two jobs?" The former asked with mild surprise.  
  
Rei shook his head. "Three actually. The restaurant, at a club uptown and beyblading as you know. I do whatever I can to get by y'know."  
  
"Don't," Kai said suddenly. He never knew Rei was that in need of money! "Just stick with Beyblading, I'll handle the rest," he said gruffly.  
  
All of them basically had their jaws hanging.  
  
Rei rubbed the back of his head. "Look, I know it sounds bad, but you get used to it after a while, and I don't accept charity from anyone, especially you Kai, I mean you probably need all the cash you have..." he trailed off as Dizzy, Kenny and Tyson started laughing. "What's so funny?"  
  
"Kai is the heir of the Hiwatari Clan's operations!" Kenny exclaimed.  
  
"That's like the head of several of the world's top companies!" Dizzy explained to the dubious looking Rei.  
  
"Really? Wow, I must have really been out of it then. Max wants to take over the BBA and now Kai is rich? Well, I always knew you were well off but..."  
  
"It's okay," was all Kai said, though he looked suspiciously at Rei. No one could be that out of the loop.  
  
Rei shook his head. "Uh, uh, no way, even if you have the money I'm not going to accept charity from you. Even though I'm staying at your place temporarily," He broke off in a yawn, "Doesn't mean I'm going to freeload off you forever."  
  
Kai looked at the sleepy determination in those fiery amber eyes in silence. Finally, "It's getting late."  
  
Tyson and Dizzy glanced between them quizzically.  
  
Kenny looked at his watch. "It IS late. Tyson, thanks for visiting me, but I still have tons of work to do and..."  
  
"CHEIF!!! HOW MUCH WORK CAN YOU DO!? I came here to rescue you and you will SLEEP damn you!" Tyson yelled suddenly.  
  
Kenny raised his hands apologetically. "But Tyson, Max needs the reports done by the end of the week and--"  
  
"Oh screw that guy, I'm taking you home!" Tyson tugged the smaller boy up.  
  
Dizzy opened her mouth to say something but was cut off abruptly.  
  
"Oh no, Dizz, he needs sleep, HOW long since he slept anyway?" Tyson asked pointedly.  
  
"3 days only, last night I was..." Kenny's thoughts travelled back to a certain blonde's and his...err...activities and blushed. "Well, I was busy."  
  
"THREE DAYS!?!" Tyson noticed the blush and grinned slyly. "Even for you, three nights looking up porn is a bit much Chief."  
  
The blush darkened as Rei and Dizzy chuckled.  
  
"WHAT!?! NO! I was doing... important... stuff."  
  
"Suuure, anyway, I'm taking you home," Tyson's voice held no argument.  
  
"You guys live together?" Rei asked curiously.  
  
Tyson shook his head, a hint of red in his cheeks. "Nah, Kenny basically lives HERE, and his house is too far away so he stays at the dojo a lot when he ain't being worked like a slave," he glared at Dizzy who only smiled in return.  
  
"Friend with benefits?" Rei quipped, causing both boys to blush pink.  
  
Kenny's face receded somewhat in emotion, though his cheeks were still pink with embarrassment. "That isn't your business Rei." His tone was uncharacteristically flat  
  
Amber eyes searched the other boy's curiously and shrugged the sudden change off. "I agree with Tyson, we all need to sleep..." Rei yawned. "And right now."  
  
"I'll call you guys a taxi!" Dizzy volunteered cheerily, suddenly bouncing from the room.  
  
Rei turned to Tyson. "We should have a match sometime."  
  
The sword was hefted neatly back onto a shoulder. "Sure, what are teammates for?"  
  
The Chinese man shook his head. "I don't mean with beyblades. I want to see how good you are with that sword."  
  
Tyson looked uncertain. "But... uh, Rei, that's not fair, I mean, you can't fight. Sure I've seen you jump off mountains, but I'm REALLY good with the sword, and I mean REALLY REALLY good, and it... "  
  
"Jeez, I don't think your ego needs boosting at all!" Rei interrupted with a chuckle. "Fine, a beyblade match then. Oh and another thing, please, PLEASE don't visit the restaurant where I work. We're already overworked, and with the way you eat..."  
  
"Oi! I'm a growing boy!" Tyson pronounced indignantly.  
  
"Still..."  
  
"You realise that now Tyson would definitely be going there right?" Kenny commented.  
  
Rei and Tyson opened their mouths to say something, but a blur of red interrupted them.  
  
"TAXI'S HERE!!!" Dizzy proclaimed, appearing out of nowhere.  
  
Rei had time only for a quick wave before their surroundings changed again as soon as Dizzy's fingers touched his and Kai's skin. Before they knew it, they were bundled into the small leather backseat of the waiting car with an enthusiastic red head waving madly at them as the engine started.  
  
"I liked her better in the lap top," Rei said tiredly, eyes drooping immediately with the rocking of the moving taxi.  
  
Kai made a non-committal grunt, and looked down sharply as he felt the soft press of Rei's body against his chest. "What..." Quiet, deep breathing met his half formed question. Kai let his features soften, making no move to push the other boy away. No doubt Rei had been barely holding back his own exhaustion for Tyson and Kenny.  
  
Making sure no one was looking, Kai allowed a small smile, and brushed the black bangs away from the closed amber eyes, his fingers lingering slightly over those moist peachy lips before shifting away.  
  
"Sleep."

* * *

Amber eyes slitted open in the sunshine, groaning slightly as the light pierced fully contracted pupils. Warmth surrounded him comfortably in the form of a strong weight on his chest.  
  
Weight...?  
  
Rei's eyes flashed open to see mussed grey hair spread messily over his chest, followed by an sleeping face that was for once, free of all worry lines. Sadly, both of them were fully clothed, but it was enough waking to see this rare expression of bliddful calm instead of the usual rock-like scowl. He took a moment to grin stupidly, hearts shining in his eyes for a second.  
  
'Oh yeah...'  
  
Dimly he remembered what happened.  
  
(Flashback)  
  
"We're here." Kai shook his companion gently, trying to pry the arms that have mysteriously wound around his waist. He couldn't. Panicking slightly, he pulled harder, but Rei's arms only locked around his chest. He considered slapping him awake, but thought better of it. Plus, he didn't have a pepper on hand at the moment either.  
  
Then he considered searching Rei's pocket for one, HE always seemed to have one on hand. But then again, Rei wasn't Tyson.  
  
"Err, he doesn't seem to want to let go," the driver said.  
  
'I realise that.' Kai's eye started to twitch as he struggled from the taxi, slipping a few bills into the driver's hands clumsily while gently holding Rei in his arms.  
  
The young man only groaned sleepily, burying his face into Kai's chest, arms locked around Kai's torso with unconscious strength.  
  
Trying to will the blush from his face, Kai walked up the stairs, sending death glares at curious neighbors who popped their heads out in the corridor.  
  
"Rei... wake up."  
  
The Neko-jin's face somehow buried itself in his neck without him noticing, lips pressed against his skin. Kai stumbled.  
  
His face distinctly hot, somehow they managed to get inside the apartment. Kai made his way uneasily into his room, lowering him to the mattress.  
  
He wouldn't let go.  
  
Eyes darting around suspiciously for onlookers who would think otherwise of their current... um... position, Kai tugged at Rei's arms, which were now wound dangerously low on his hips in a dead lock.  
  
"Rei... let go."  
  
Rei's sleeping face betrayed no sign of awareness even as his hands crept unconsciously closer to Kai's butt.  
  
"Rei..." Kai stepped back, but his legs tangled around Rei's in his attempt, sending both sprawling onto the bed.  
  
Pretty sure his face was steaming, Kai sighed, Rei's weight between his legs and undoubtedly on top of him.  
  
Trapped.  
  
(End Flashback)  
  
Rei allowed himself a small silent giggle. He really had been asleep... well... half asleep, but the fact that Kai actually slept and they had somehow rolled to have him on top rather than Rei, greatly amused him.  
  
The sleeping boy groaned slightly, face lifting from his 'pillow' before dropping back with a small unconscious smile, still caught in the early processes of waking up, soft lips parted with breath.  
  
Rei inwardly groaned. Those lips were too much of a temptation already. It should be against the laws of nature to make someone so sexy. Thank god it wasn't.  
  
With little hesitancy, Rei leaned in closer. Bad Kitty.  
  
It was the exact moment Kai opened his eyes. Pupils widened as the black haired boy captured his lips, and causing an amazing display of fireworks to suddenly take over his mind. A moan escaped his lips as Rei's tongue teased his lips.  
  
Startled, Rei drew back, his face flushed. "K-Kai... sorry... I... you..."  
  
A feral look crossed Kai's face, red eyes gleaming as he pushed the black haired beauty onto the mattress. "What you have done is dishonorable," came the low growl from his lips.  
  
Rei openly gaped as Kai straddled him.  
  
Grey hair tickled his face as Kai leaned closer with a half growl, half whisper. "I demand satisfaction."  
  
Faces leaned in with the passionate promise of a kiss.  
  
"Rei I somehow got lost, but now I'm back and...!" A definite female voice yelled cheerfully from the open window.  
  
**...  
  
...  
  
...  
  
...  
**  
"Kai! I'm sorry!!! Wait up will you!" Rei ran after the man currently walking stiffly down the sidewalk. "Kai!!!"  
  
The slate haired man scowled and walked faster.  
  
"I had no idea! I sent her to freaking AUSTRALIA for god's sake!" (A/N: And as EVERYONE KNOWS, Australia is practically nowhere since we don't get one crummy beyblade championship or even a BLOODY GUNDAM!!! Mumble, mumble. Don't question the awesome scary powers of Mariah either... err... I'll let you get back to the story now.)  
  
"Ahem," Rei sidelong glanced at the departing, intruding author before his face went back into the distressed and partly annoyed expression it was before. "KAI!!!"  
  
His watch beeped the time, making Rei grunt in annoyance. "Dammit, I don't have time for this..." With a last regretful look at the retreating Kai, he leapt onto the nearest 2nd storey roof, pounding over the rooftops.  
  
Kai started to slow down, realising just how weak and emotional he was being. With a frown he turned around to face his pursuer. "You..." Only Rei wasn't there. The guy had probably left long ago, and here he was, being a total moron by talking to no one in the open public.  
  
With a growl, he spun around again but was faced with the open door of a black limousine.  
  
"Master Kai, you are wanted." A black suited guy said respectfully from inside.  
  
Kai narrowed his eyes, face going blank. "What does he want now?"  
  
"Your Grandfather has just had a heart attack." The man said bluntly.  
  
Kai blinked and waved him off. "Ridiculous. He's the most stubborn man I know, and with no stress or drug problems I know. Who are you trying to kid?"  
  
Eyes hidden under dark sunglasses flashed into sight for a second. "I am deadly serious. He is in hospital under operational care and has sent for you." He drew a photo from his pocket.  
  
Kai stared at the clear picture of his Grandfather surrounded by surgeons with the date in the corner clearly stating it was taken yesterday and silently got into the waiting car. His face was filled with caution as they moved, Rei driven from his mind for the moment. It was impossible. A man as ridiculously keen on clawing to life as Voltaire was... well, it was inconceivable for him to fall under some mere stress or disease. Even if that was true... a small amount of fear struck his heart. Only it wasn't for his grandfather. In his mind, his own future started to blacken.

* * *

"You're late." Red sharp pointed hair rose into view as he casually dropped down onto the rooftop.  
  
"You just arrived Tala, you can't complain, I had... things to work out." Rei smiled slightly at Tyson's last opponent. It was indeed Tala, the red haired genetically engineered, or whatever, boy, now man who stood there, a small pout on his face.  
  
Rei smiled in greeting, hit with nostalgia over their unusual and drama ridden relationship.  
  
It was after the World Championships.  
  
He remembered how he had found Tala, abandoned like so much cheap garbage in one of the back streets of the dome. The boy, blood coloured hair marred with dirt was twisted in a crumbled heap against the stone wall. His body looked starved yet he made no sound except stare at his beyblade like a broken doll. If it weren't for the flash of red, Rei would have never noticed him.  
  
Rei had stood there for a few moments just staring at him, but got no response or acknowledgment from the boy. Tala's attention was focused only on his beyblade, his eyes a blank azure. From the proud raving Captain to the pitiful wretch that then lay slumped on the ground... there were no words for how sad the boy had looked.  
  
Being the nice guy he was Rei had practically dragged Tala back to the hotel and demanded the BBA officials see to him. Tala was, after all, the best beyblader in that moment besides Tyson. Tala hadn't complained or tried to escape, but the boy didn't do anything else either. Rei became his caretaker. No one else would acre for the boy. At the time, it had at least given Rei an excuse to stay on the BBA's expense just a little more. Run a little longer from his own worldly pressures.  
  
For weeks Rei didn't leave Tala's side, out of some misplaced kind of responsibility, he didn't want to leave the guy alone. It helped he had started to like the former Demolition Boy too. Eventually, even the hotel had its limits of accommodating two freeloaders for so long, and soon both found themselves without money or shelter. With no place to go, Rei started wandering again, and Tala followed. Rei didn't complain, the guy was better company than Mariah, and never spoke as much.  
  
Somewhere along that angst ridden journey, they became friends. Tala was the reason he found out his feelings for Kai to be more than platonic friendship. Both of them were frighteningly similar, and Rei had latched onto Tala like a leech. Tala had been his first.  
  
It was evitable in a way. They shared rooms from lack of money, and spent most of their time together for the first two years after the World Championships, training and travelling. Through some awkward experimentation, Rei realised he had no adversity to a relationship to another male and Tala, Tala didn't know any better since technically, being genetically modified, he was only a few years old.  
  
Tala and him were... complicated. They weren't romantic lovers by any stretch of the imagination but Rei had loved him.  
  
The problem was, he loved Kai more.  
  
Tala had shrugged when Rei told him, and said he knew, and had no problem with it. Both of them had too much emotional baggage then to be serious anyway. Tala needed the strength, both physically and emotionally, to get revenge on his creators and teammates for abandoning him. Rei's problems however, were a lot more drastic personally. Let's just say puberty sucks.  
  
To say they were over would be lying. To say they were still together would be equally untrue. It was complicated.  
  
Back on the rooftop, where the reminiscing was brought back to the present, Rei grinned leisurely. "Good to see you're doing well Tala.  
  
Tala's stoic face melted into a returning smile. "It's good to see you too Rei." The taller guy was dressed simply in only an open white shirt and tastefully tailored dark blue pants, a contradiction to his past anti-goth outfits of white leather and buckles. With the same smile, he stepped forward and kissed Rei without the slightest hesitation.  
  
A moment later, he released the bugged eyed Neko-jin.  
  
Tala winked before his face morphed back into a quiet emotionlessness. "I trust you've made progress with dear little Hiwatari?"  
  
Rei stared. "What was that for? I thought I told you..."  
  
Tala rolled his eyes. "Your little girlfriend is watching. And since she made so much trouble for us, I think it's payback to tell her once and for all, what your sexual preference is." He glanced off into the corner where a peek of pink hair can be seen.  
  
Rei stared, and then broke into laughter. "Forget it, after she's seen me with Kai, and me telling her REPEATEDLY, I was gay and still not get it, you have no chance Tala dear."  
  
The red haired man glared at the tuft of pink. "Figures. I always wondered how she couldn't get it through her head when we were going at it," he said bluntly.  
  
Rei blushed and scratched the back of his head. "Gee, you sure haven't changed."  
  
Tala looked back at Rei, eyes being the only sign of emotion in his face. "A little." Eyes trailed the typical skin hugging white clothes Rei was wearing. "I bet you're wondering why I asked you to meet me today."  
  
Rei shrugged, preening a little at the attention that kai wouldn't express so openly, not that Rei couldn't change his mind later on. "I have an idea." He kept his tone neutral, observing the blank expression that gave nothing away. There really was only one reason they met up anymore. "What's the job?"  
  
There was the slightest twitch of a smirk on Tala's face. "No, I've come to tell you I've completed my 'mission' so to say, only I have one more thing to accomplish."  
  
Rei raised his eyebrows. "Completed?"  
  
Tala nodded, looking serious. "The Demolition boys, are no more, reprogrammed by me and living normal lives."  
  
Rei sweat dropped. "Reprogrammed?"  
  
"I am after all, the ultimate creation made by Voltaire, who is currently in hospital due to a 'heart attack'."  
  
"Heart attack?!"  
  
Tala smirked, "Rei, you're sounding like a broken record here, a little more input please."  
  
"You put Kai's grandfather in hospital!?!" Rei screamed, then sighed in defeat. "As long as you do nothing against Kai, or hurt him, I have no problem I guess."  
  
Tala looked slightly pained. "Rei, the final step, I need your help, we've always been a team since... since, you know, and this last step I can't complete alone. I've got someone who will pay a hefty sum to do it."  
  
"Tala? Look, I don't want anything to do with this, and..."  
  
"Rei, remember when I gave you the diamonds from our last heist? It was a gift and a favour when we broke up. You needed my help for what was the last time to gain them. I had no problem since it was from Voltaire's vaults and a few diamonds is nothing to the thousands there. That time I risked my life for you and your beyblade. This time, will you return the favour?"  
  
Rei squeezed the bridge of his nose, not liking to be reminded. He and Tala, had been poor. So poor they had to steal, and got to be the best at it with their skills. Sure it was against ethics, but he wasn't a stupid child who thought of life as black and white anymore like Tyson had showed him in his own naive way. He imagined himself to be like paint. Once you mix the white with black, you will never turn grey into white again.  
  
And just who could resist those puppy dog eyes Tala was shooting him?  
  
"What's this last part?"  
  
Tala looked deadly serious. "Stealing Black Dranzer. And destroying it."  
  
Rei looked at him sharply. That meant going straight into the Hiwatari mansion.  
  
"Will you help me Rei? For old times sake at least, if not for revenge."  
  
Rei tensed, and asked stonily, "For how much?"

* * *

"I'm back... Kai?" Rei entered the apartment his eyes widening slightly at the small pack of luggage there. Even after a double shift of work to drain his energy, he could still feel something amiss here.  
  
Kai shot him a brief look before shoving a small pile of clothes in the bag. "Rei, I need to return to my Grandfather's mansion for a while, he's in hospital with a heart attack, and I need to be at home to sort things out."  
  
"Wha?" Rei feigned surprise, but was genuinely stunned at the prospect of Kai leaving him. If Kai was going to be there then..." Rei frowned slightly. "Kai, what happened? Voltaire had a heart attack? Is that even possible?"  
  
Kai met his eyes quickly. "Apparently. You can stay here as long as you want, the apartment is mine and I don't mind... I'll be back in a week, hopefully."  
  
"Do you have to leave?" Rei's thoughts were a mess of new variables. He didn't like the thought of Kai going back to that cold prison and back into Voltaire's clutches. He really didn't like the thought of doing anything that might put Kai in danger, and he hated the thought, and himself, for planning to steal from him. But stealing from Voltaire and stealing from Kai were two completely different things. Worry twisted his lips into a frown as he followed the slate haired man with his eyes. "What happened?" He repeated.  
  
"My grandfather had a heart attack. They believe it was stress from the pressure on his heart rate before it happened," Kai scowled. "Or so they say." He picked up the bag with one hand. "I need to go."  
  
Rei felt Kai grow more and more distant, the cold, stoic exterior he knew so well returning in those crimson eyes. It was disconcerting to see this side again after being so close to a strangely cheerful Kai, if only for a few days.  
  
"Kai..." Rei bit his lip to stop it coming out as a whine. Hated the fact he was so goddamn low as to steal from a friend, hating himself even more for trying to stop Kai from returning to the mansion so he could have an easier task of it. He forced the words out with a hopeful smile. "Can't you stay? At least for me?" He wanted to slap himself as Kai's face went indecisive.  
  
Kai took a quick glance between Rei and the door. "Rei, I need to go." He slung the bag over a shoulder and faced the door.  
  
Rei darted in front of him, and on impulse, quickly closed the distance between their lips before Kai could protest.  
  
Slowly Rei drew back to see Kai looking at him in confusion.  
  
"Rei... I... " Kai started.  
  
"No, go." Rei prompted. Kai nodded and stepped past him. "And Kai?"  
  
He looked back with a glance.  
  
Rei met his eyes seriously. "I'm sorry."  
  
"What for?" Kai responded with a frown.  
  
Rei slid a hand behind his head, replacing the serious expression with a grin. "No, nothing, just saying it so I don't feel so guilty breaking anything in here or whatever, but I won't of course," he added quickly.  
  
Kai smiled a tiny, weenie bit and nodded before shutting the door behind him.  
  
The grin faded as the heavy 'click' of the door resounded in the room. Rei closed his eyes, clenching and unclenching his fists in a futile attempt to calm down, panic and anger warring in his mind. He took one step backward, then another, then completely distanced himself away from the door and picking up the phone, quickly dialing a contact number.  
  
"I can't do this," he spoke softly into the receiver.  
  
"Rei? What's wrong?" Tala's voice came from the other side.  
  
"Voltaire's done for the count, so Kai's gone back to the mansion. Tala, I told you before, I will not hurt him. You know how I feel," Rei said tersely.  
  
"I know how you feel." There was the rustle of clothing. "This is the first time you've gone back on a promise Rei." The casual observation hurt more than any insult Tala could've thrown at him.  
  
Rei ran a hand through his hair. "I can't Tala. Not while he's there."  
  
"We won't get another chance. The house be locked as tight as a box when Voltaire returns." Tala halted, the silence stretched. "Please Rei."  
  
Rei's grip on the phone tightened. It wasn't often that Tala got desperate enough to beg so blatantly. Almost never. Black Dranzer was Tala's closure, he needed it to be gone, one last thing to be done before he could both move on. "Tala, Kai he's... "  
  
"I understand. Was I just a replacement for him?" Tala said in the same monotone.  
  
Rei felt a sharp twinge of guilt. "Tala..."  
  
A moment of silence on the line. "Rei, he won't find out. I know how much he means to you. If he does, I'll personally talk to him, explaining I forced you to do this. I don't want to jeopardize your happiness," Tala said sincerely.  
  
"No. I won't let you be classified as some evil bastard again." Rei bit his lip. "Fine. I'll risk it, but this is the last time Tala, I can't keep doing this."  
  
"I know Rei, and I thank you for doing this last thing for me," Tala responded.  
  
"Tala," Rei's tone softened, "You were never a replacement for him."  
  
"I know," came the soft answer before the line disconnected.  
  
Rei ran a hand through his free bangs. Things were getting too complicated, all he wanted to do was to love Kai and have Kai love him. Was that so much to ask for? It hadn't even been a week since he came back. His life sucked.  
  
END PART 1  
  
A/N: I know I've tampered with all those little hints in the show and exaggerated them. It wouldn't be as twisted and fun otherwise. This fic is almost 3/4 written so I'll have the next bit up really quick.  
  
Reviewing would always inspire me to hurry of course wink wink 


	2. BG Interlude A Dash of Red and Green

**Black and Grey**   
  
A/N: Sorry to intrude, as you guys MUST be realising just how LONG this fic is. Sorry for delay in updates, I had a Beta Crisis but now Opal is back and systematically rendering me into grammatically correct goo. Also, beloved readers, you may have noticed I keep writing day by day, almost going into minute DETAIL for the whole day. This is because I can't write short stories. I used to have this talent, but now... the knowledge of how escapes me. I'll try to hurry things along as everyone wants Rei to get into poor innocent Kai's pants, but the journey to ReixKai is long and unnecessarily tedious. As well as writing mystery... ahh the plot holes. And, more odd couples, kinky threesomes and many, MANY m/m scenes ahead. Bless Kai's cute cotton socks for yaoi. But if you've gone this far, you might as well continue ne?)  
  
**INTERLUDE - A Dash of Red and Green   
**  
Days passed and Rei became acutely aware of how lonely the apartment was without Kai there. Let's just say he got on great terms with his bunny counterpart, who seemed to have a liking for fresh lettuce.   
  
Days without even a phone call from Kai or anything.  
  
"God I'm pathetic," Rei murmured, watching the rabbit eat in his spare time between jobs. Casually he picked up the phone. "Yes?"  
  
"Rei, the phone barely RUNG," came a surprised voice.   
  
"Tyson?"   
  
"Got it in one go. Tala tells me you have spare time right now. Wanna go ice skating?"   
  
Rei let that sink in a little. "TALA? What's he doing there?!" 'Or who...' Rei grinned and shook the thought out of his head.   
  
"Don't you remember him? You know, guy that almost beat my undefeatable skills in the world championships? Red hair, blue eyes, white leather, kinda hot?" Tyson said in his traditional nonchalance. Rei could just imagine Tala's eyebrows going up.  
  
"Yeah, I remember him. Okay, I'll meet you at your house in a few minutes. Tyson, don't do anything I wouldn't do," he added before putting the phone back.  
  
An indignant cry of, "HEY!" was cut off as the line closed.   
  
It took no time to arrive at the familiar dojo where Tyson lived with a quick journey over rooftops. The sound of heavy grunting could be heard from inside. Rei had second thoughts about entering hearing them, sparking a small feeling of jealousy in his veins. Tala always had a thing for the guy that beat him, and Tyson, well... he was a very open guy.  
  
With an inhaled breath he peeked inside the paper walls.   
  
Tyson looked up, his shinai in mid swing, Tala sat in a corner with a cup of tea looking like he usually did with company. Like a pale rock. Another person sat next to him, a chocolate cookie was in his mouth.  
  
"Yo," Tyson said in greeting.  
  
Rei let out a silent relieved breath and smiled. "Hey guys." He gestured questionably at the other person.   
  
Tyson smirked. "You know him already Rei."   
  
The other guest rolled pale blue eyes, covered by a waterfall of waist long pale blue hair, a small grin warming his features as he stood. "Tyson, even if you've gotten used to me like this, doesn't mean Rei has." His voice was lustrously deep and masculine, confirming the somewhat ambiguous gender of the person.  
  
"Eh?" Tyson answered intelligently, hanging his shinai back up and picking up his sword from the stands. "Oh, Rei, you know Dragoon, my bit beast and best bud? Kenny gave him a body like Dizzy's and connected it to me but he likes to stay in his bit most of the time since he's the kind that likes to live in small things. Don't ask me why Kenny made him look so girly either, he said Dragoon wanted it like that and..."   
  
"Okay okay! Tyson, I get it!" Rei stretched out a hand. "Nice to meet you... again."   
  
"Likewise." Dragoon shook Rei's hand warmly and the former White Tiger could feel a distinct surge of electricity run up his arm, but it wasn't exactly unpleasant. The bit beast turned, "And Tyson... "   
  
Suddenly a whirl of wind smashed into Tyson, blowing his cap right off his head. "Who's girly?"  
  
Rei laughed, silently studying this new form of Dragoon with interest. The bit beast in human guise wore a simple dark blue t-shirt and pants with a white jacket tied casually around his waist. He was just about the same height as Tyson, slight in build, but still had nice muscle density.  
  
"Don't bother, he's straight," Tala whispered in his ear, walking past him.  
  
Rei laughed. "I see you've been busy."   
  
"Ready to go? That ice is melting as we speak y'know," Tyson called.   
  
"How are we getting there?" Tala asked monotone, once again.   
  
"Dragoon Transport of course!" Tyson leaned on Dragoon's shoulder with a teasing grin.  
  
"You make me feel so appreciated Tyson," Dragoon said dryly.   
  
In a flash of bright light, they were gone.  
  
================================================================================  
  
"This is...!?" Tala and Rei spun around wildly surveying their surroundings with surprise.  
  
"Men's bathroom at the ice rink," Dragoon said calmly.   
  
"Handy ain't he?" Tyson commented, slipping his sword over a shoulder and calmly walking out blatantly ignoring the peeved look Dragoon was sending him.  
  
Minutes later, they were all strapped into ice-skates - one size too small - and standing at the entrance of the rink.  
  
Tyson started to wave at a blur currently zooming across the ice between the people there. "Yo! Chief!"  
  
"Kenny's here?" Rei asked.   
  
"Who's Chief?" Tala said at the same time.  
  
"Tala?" The brown haired technician said in dismay as he came to an abrupt stop in front of them.   
  
"Oh yeah... guess you don't know each other too well. This here is my good friend Kenny, and Tala as you remembered was the guy I beat in the world championships with my invincible beyblade skills," Tyson introduced.  
  
"What invincible beyblade skills?" Tala said stonily.  
  
A flickering in the air was all the warning they got before Dizzy appeared, arms circling around Dragoon with a happy sigh.  
  
"Dragoon... it's been too long," she sighed.  
  
"Then let's get reacquainted my Lady Dizzara." Dragoon lifted her in his arms, their lips locked in a sizzle of energy, before going smoothly onto the ice, blue and red hair contrasting against equally pale skin.   
  
Kenny, Tyson and Rei sweatdropped, watching them zoom around the rink.  
  
"It has been 3 days since they last saw each other," Kenny deadpanned.  
  
"Excuse me while I wash my eyes..." Rei murmured.  
  
"I told you he was straight," Tala said.  
  
They all let out a heavy sigh, each thinking of their own lacking love lives.   
  
"Wait, there's still someone you need to meet... or have met I guess," Kenny scanned the crowd. "Oliver!"   
  
"Oliver? Does he mean..." Rei's eyes widened. 'Oh shit.'   
  
Sure enough vibrantly green hair filtered through the crowds revealing the gorgeous guy he knew so well, clad expensively in a silk shirt and no doubt Armani pants.   
  
"Oliver! Long time no see..." Rei began, stepping backwards as the handsome man came towards them. Tala gave him a curious glance.  
  
"That is my line, mon petit." Oliver's light voice clearly accented the French words.  
  
Before Rei could say anything else, Oliver cupped his chin, pressing his lips to Rei's in a firm, and heated kiss.   
  
Tala's eyes narrowed.   
  
Kenny and Tyson's eyes widened.  
  
It was a few drawn out seconds before Oliver drew back with a smile.   
  
"I have not seen you since we parted in Paris, I have missed you Rei," the green haired beauty said lightly, the words rolling off his tongue enticingly.   
  
Rei smiled nervously, taking a wary step back from the gleam in Oliver's eyes. "What is it with people kissing me to say hello nowadays?" He laughed it off, awkwardly cutting of when Tala frowned at him.   
  
The ice blue eyes tracked Oliver like a target. "Who are you?"  
  
Oliver looked at the red haired man who stood slightly taller than him with appraising eyes and dark recognition. "Tala from the Demolition boys, am I correct? You might remember me. Oliver of the Majestics, but we never really were much of a team."   
  
Tyson turned to Kenny pointing a finger at Oliver. "Who's he? Some ex-boyfriend of Rei's?"   
  
They all sweatdropped at the raven-haired boy's stupidity.  
  
Oliver eye twitched. "Tyson... your stupidity amazes me. I'm the guy you met in Paris, remember?"   
  
Tyson shook his head, causing they're sweatdrops to grow larger.   
  
"Oh! You're the Vampire guy right?!"   
  
Oliver face faulted.   
  
"Wait, no. You're the guy who had that cool stadium right... wait, that's Enrique... The guy that owned the castle? No... that was Robert... um... " Tyson furrowed his brow in thought.  
  
"HOW CAN YOU REMEMBER THEM BUT NOT ME!?!"   
  
The spark of recognition hit Tyson's eyes. "I remember! OLIVER!!! The guy who had the pansy unicorn fairy bit beast. Gotcha. Good to see you again! What are you doing here with us commoners, huh? I always thought you were the kind to reserve a whole place for yourself, not mingle with crowds." He shook Oliver's hand with a grin.   
  
The green haired man levelled a glare. "My bit beast is not pansy." Oliver took a calming breath and continued. "I was in town, and Kenny asked me... this experience of 'mingling' is new to me." Blue-tinged purple eyes returned to stare into Rei's. "And yes, I happen to be Rei's former and first love."   
  
Tala's eyes narrowed further. "Who told you that?" He said in a low monotone.  
  
Rei nervously smiled, just what could one do when two ex's meet?  
  
"I assumed since he was so inexperienced when I met him... of course he blossomed under my teachings, and grew VERY good at it."  
  
Kenny and Tyson's eyes grew wider, both their cheeks flushing at the topic on hand.  
  
Rei raised a finger to protest about the 'inexperienced' comment but Tala cut him off.   
  
"We were together two years, before you ever showed up. Rei isn't one to show off, and his efforts would be wasted on the likes of YOU. From first hand experience, he is VERY good at what he did before he ever met you," Tala bit back stoically.  
  
"First hand? You mean you and YOU were both... and Rei..." Tyson managed to choke out.   
  
"Rei wasted two years on you? You may be right about his 'talents' as he knows things I could never teach him, but two years is a ridiculous amount of time to waste fooling around with obviously prudish guys like YOU," Oliver countered, ignoring Tyson, and like Tala, having no problem discussing his or other people's sexuality in open public.  
  
Rei pinched the bridge of his nose muttering, "This can't be happening to me."   
  
"I bet he didn't even waste weeks on you," Tala bit back.  
  
"For your information cherié, he spent a year travelling the world with me, seeing all the glorious things that no doubt you could never see, and of course sharing all his... tricks that you would never experience," Oliver said smugly.  
  
"Hn. YOU are not flexible enough. With your build, you and Rei could never..."  
  
"OKAY! OKAY! Let's stop NOW before we get into the sex positions that you both like or can or cannot do! This is not the place to put that out in the open! There are CHILDREN HERE!" Rei yelled, but something tugged on his arm. Looking down, they saw a crowd of 5 year olds looking up at them.  
  
"Mister, what does sex mean?" a little boy in overalls asked.  
  
All of them sweatdropped noticing the slightly horrified audience they've gained.   
  
Tala and Oliver coughed.   
  
"Very well, to settle this honourably I challenge you to a ice skating match against myself and Tyson. The winner claims Rei's first love," Oliver offered with a smirk  
  
Rei groaned.  
  
"You and Tyson against myself and Rei, you must be joking, you will LOSE. I also know for a matter of fact that it is I who claims Rei's first love," the red haired man smirked back just as smugly. "You stand no chance against me. I accept."   
  
"How did I get dragged into this?" Tyson and Rei asked indignantly.  
  
"It isn't a good idea to pair off with Tyson..." Kenny began, and with one hand shoved Tyson on the ice.   
  
"Wha? WHOA!!! HELP!! CHIEF!!!" Tyson violently flapped his arms sliding all over the ice before spectacularily falling on his ass. A small conga line of the same 5 year olds from before laughed as they skated past his inept form.  
  
"As you can see, Tyson can't skate, he comes to learn," Kenny pointed out dryly.  
  
Oliver stared for a few moments as Tyson tried his very best to crawl back to the landing. "I see. Might you do me the honor Kenny? It's only a friendly competition between Tala and I after all, we promise you won't get hurt... right uke boy?"   
  
"WHAT DID YOU SAY!?!" Tala screamed, causing Rei to step back in shock and fear.  
  
"Me? I guess, I'm not all that good at anything except computing, but sure. What are the terms?" Kenny asked calmly.   
  
"Hockey?" Rei suggested.  
  
"We are gentlemen, not brutes mon cheri."  
  
Tala let himself cool down a little. Over reaction wasn't something he was used to. "How about a skating match, two goals, one ball, first team to get the ball into the opposing goal wins. Any means to get the ball into the goal is allowed. Loser of course loses all rights to name himself Rei's first."   
  
"Hmm... yes, that is more proper," Oliver agreed.  
  
"So basically we beat each other to a pulp to put a ball into the goal just so you guys can say which of you were better." Rei stated dubiously.   
  
"Yes." Tala and Oliver glared at each other as both slid easily onto the ice.  
  
"What part of that isn't brutish?" Kenny muttered, following after them.   
  
Oliver clicked his fingers. Out of nowhere a guy in a black suit and ice skates popped up behind him. "You, remove the people from the rink. I have a score to settle with this man. They can be the audience if they wish."  
  
"Yes, sir."   
  
Faster than they could blink, the crowds were ushered into the seats surrounding the rink and the four men were alone on the ice, with 2 goals expertly set up either side of them.  
  
Dizzy and Dragoon were busy waving flags for each team, Dizzy wildly cheering both on while the male bit-beast stoically waved the large flag with Rei's and Tala's pictures on it.  
  
"Let's get it on." Oliver smirked.   
  
"You'll get what's coming to you pimp boy," Tala returned without emotion.  
  
Heated lightning passed between their eyes.  
  
Rei and Kenny looked at each other and simultaneously rolled their eyes.  
  
Tyson, who was made referee on the spot and currently (unsteadily) holding the lone Bananas in Pyjamas ball which a random 5 year old cheerfully volunteered for the game. "You guys ready?" The raven-haired boy used his sheathed sword as a crutch on the ice to stop his wobbling.   
  
"Bring it on," Tala and Oliver challenged, each facing their intended goals.   
  
"3! 2! 1! Let it RIP!" Tyson threw the ball into the air.   
  
Tala shot into the air and slammed the ball onto the ground, much like a basketball player would do. "REI! Count this as practice!"   
  
Oliver back flipped in mid air to intersect the ball, throwing it back toward Kenny.   
  
Rei caught it smoothly mid arch. "You're just trying to get me to help you win, it has nothing to do with practice...!!!"   
  
Kenny smirked, zooming past him with a shower of sliced ice in his wake. The B-in-P ball was nestled safely in a hand as he quickly covered the distance to the goal.   
  
Rei narrowed his eyes and skated after him, leaping into the air and triple flipping with a twist of his hips, snatching the ball from Kenny's hands before landing in front of the boy. The crowd went wild.  
  
"For a computer geek, how the heck did you get so fast!?"   
  
Kenny grinned, eyes as always hidden beneath his bangs and glasses. "I'm good at running from things, and since Russia, running on ice has been haunting my nightmares a little so I got better at it."  
  
"Riiight."  
  
"Go Chief! Show 'em what you're made of!" Tyson and Dizzy cheered from the stands.  
  
Rei smirked and darted past Kenny sliding smoothly over the ice. "Tala. Practice it is...!" Arms wrapped themselves around him.  
  
Oliver smoothly dipped Rei in his arms, face leaning close to the Neko-jin's. "Still so innocent cheri. I like that." Without warning, the green haired boy leaned down and sucked gently on Rei's bottom lip, cutting off all impending protest from Rei's lips with his own. Not that Rei minded that much really...  
  
"I'll take that..." Kenny pulled the ball from his hands.  
  
"Cheater." Tala slammed an elbow in the back of Oliver's head, pulling Rei to stand beside him just before Oliver went face first into the ice. "And YOU..." The red head glared at his partner who was detectably out of breath. "YOU enjoyed that!!!" He accused.  
  
Rei sighed quietly before leaning down quickly, catching the red head off guard with a short intense kiss. "Happy?" Without waiting for an answer, the neko-jin darted after Kenny.   
  
Tala glared, as Oliver stood back up, the latter grinning smugly. "I despise you."   
  
"Glad to hear it," Oliver shot back before both of them hurried after Kenny and the pursing Rei. Tala growled low in his throat, shooting after them, he would NOT lose this.  
  
"Rei!" Tala jumped into the air, flipping against the laws of gravity to gain distance.   
  
A white rope of hair whipped around as Rei stretched out a hand, catching the bottom of Tala's blades in his palm.  
  
"Shouldn't... that have cut off his hand?" Tyson said to no one in particular as those in the crowd gasped. The black haired man smirked and threw Tala toward Kenny where the red head landed hands first on Kenny's shoulders. Kenny yelped as his hands dug into his shoulders, the sudden impact jarring him as Tala used the momentum to reverse their standing, throwing him into the air. For a sudden breathless moment Kenny found himself sailing through the air in a dizzying loop before time set back in, and Tala caught him neatly in his arms.   
  
Breath heaving in exertion and his heart thudding hard against his chest, Kenny stared up at the red headed boy, blue eyes sparkling back down at him with a small smile. He didn't even notice Rei skimming past and stealing the ball out of his hands.   
  
"Sorry, did I hurt you?" Tala asked sincerely.   
  
Kenny flushed as the other set him down, thankful for his ever covering bangs as he turned away to watch Oliver and Rei battle it out at the far end of the rink. "H-hai."   
  
"GIVE ME THAT BALL!!!"   
  
Oliver had darted out of the way with a twist in mid air, now in possession of the ball. A delighted laugh escaped his lips as he did a perfect triple spin, cutting the ice with graceful loops of his body as he landed. Rei bared a fanged grin as he purposely braked before Oliver, disorientating the French boy by showering him with ice. An unseen lump in the ice jarred Rei from his victory, toppling both of them as he crashed into the spluttering Frenchman.   
  
A blur of red was all they saw as Tala scooped the ball from Oliver's arms, nearly tripping over the two in his effort to get past them. Unfortunately Kenny didn't see them in time, the air misted over with ice, clouding his glasses and blinding his already impaired vision. A surprised gasp escaped their lips as Kenny hit them at high speeds, his foot hooking over one of their skates to send him flying through the air. Tala, Rei and Oliver swore, doubling back or getting up, watching as the brunette fell head first, probably in stall for a very painful landing.  
  
Kenny fell, almost in slow motion, a small sound of fear escaping his lips.   
  
"Chief!" The voice pierced his fear-clogged mind.  
  
Arms wrapped around him, stopping his descent through the air, but nevertheless made his stomach drop in fear at the swift plunge. A jarring landing made his savior grunt in pain, though the arms never left the brown haired boy's waist.  
  
Kenny heard the fast beats of a thudding heart pressed against his ear and willed his eyes to open.   
  
Tyson breathed a sigh of relief. "You okay?"   
  
The brown haired boy nodded briefly, smiling at the concern on Tyson's face. "F-fine." He glanced down, noting the fact his glasses were skewed on his nose, and saw the ice only a foot from his nose. Tyson's knees had digged painfully into the ice upon landing. "You're hurt."  
  
"Nah, just as long as you're okay," Tyson said light heartedly, though Kenny could detect the slight wince. The raven-haired boy had landed on his knees, the only way they could both land properly due to Tyson's usual sleekness being compromised by his clumsiness on the ice.   
  
"Tyson, Kenny! Are you alright?" Rei asked frantically, his worried expression mirrored by Oliver and Tala behind him and Dragoon and Dizzy not far behind.  
  
Tyson flinched as he gently pushed Kenny off him, giving the three a glare. "I think we've played enough don't you? Chief could have gotten seriously hurt... twice. I don't think it's safe to keep going."   
  
They nodded, quietly amazed, with the exception of Kenny, at Tyson's quiet, serious tone.   
  
"Fine, I shall withdraw for now, but don't think you've won, uke boy," Oliver said, but dampened the smug look a little as Tala sent a icy glare his way. He offered a smile, "Drinks on me for taking up your time, cheri."   
  
Tala blinked, noting the word was directed at him this time. Rei smiled inwardly. Nothing like shared interests and quite incredibly good looks to bring two guys together. Tala of course didn't smile, but did quirk his lips a little. Close enough. "Sure."  
  
"WOO!!! DRINKS!!!" Dizzy cheered, startling the others who had momentarily forgotten she was there. There was a distinct mutter of, 'But you can't ingest liquids,' from Dragoon, but he was known to be annoyingly temperamental and the others paid him no heed.   
  
"Sounds good... except the fact you guys are underage," Rei stated, eyebrows raising. Oliver only grinned cheekily in reply.   
  
"I own one of the bars, it'll be no problem."   
  
"Just as long as we don't get drunk, I don't really have a high tolerance for alcohol," Kenny reprimanded, skating smoothly after the two as they headed toward the entrance. The crowd cheered, even though their entertainment was cut short. Some of the audience began filling the ice rink once again.  
  
"Uh... guys... little help?" Tyson called weakly from the centre of the rink.  
  
===================================================================================  
  
The dark stillness of the corridor was broken by the sounds of muted, strained steps.  
  
"I can't believe you two got drunk." Rei hauled his two friends up the steps, guiltily, a little tipsy himself.   
  
Tala groaned, walking wobbily on his feet so he wasn't totally dead weight. To Rei's knowledge Tala had never drunk alcohol in his life. Oliver was slung over his other side, his bodyguards having left when Oliver sent them away, leaving Rei with no idea where he was staying. The guy was much too busy giggling to be of much use either. The only option left was Kai's place.   
  
If Kai ever found out, he was going to be in deep shit.  
  
Struggling, Rei somehow managed to open and close the door, tumbling into the apartment and dropping all of them on Kai's bed. Tala and Oliver almost groaned in sync, snuggling against Rei from both sides with slow trance like movements.  
  
His vision became hazy, the alcohol making him too drowsy to move much further, especially trapped between two barely clothed guys. Rei gave a weak struggle to get up, but soon darkness crept in and consumed his consciousness, comforted by two of his most beloved people in the world. Still in the land of blessed sleep, Oliver smiled, and burrowed into the warm curve of Rei's shoulder. Tala slept on peacefully, his head pillowed by Rei's chest.   
  
They slept.  
  
==================================================================================  
  
The sunlight stroked pale cheeks, making tufts of red hair bury themselves further into the comfortable warmth beside him. The twitter of the birds outside made him groan loudly against the pounding in his head. He felt the rumbles of a deeper groan from his makeshift pillow. The birds continued to tweet outside, much to Tala's annoyance.   
  
"God, shut up you stupid birds," a voice too richly accented groaned.   
  
Tala's eyes shot open, reacting immediately, straddling the unknown person in his bed, hand clamped over the other's mouth before they could move. Tala gasped as a jolt of pain shot up his skull. The pounding in his head refused to go away, his mind too hazy to clearly see the intruder. Thinly bloodshot eyes shot wide open as hands cupped his butt. His hips grinded against someone that was definitely not Rei.  
  
Blue looked into blue. One the colour of ice, the other as light as the sky, with flickering hints of violet reflected in them.   
  
Green hair, adorably messed, shifted on the pillow as Tala felt his palm licked gently by the other's tongue. He let out a small gasp with the overload of sensation coupled with a massive headache, clearly not making the thinking process any easier. His hold eased off on Oliver's face.   
  
"It is not often I wake to a gorgeous red head in my bed," the green haired man said teasingly, gently easing Tala's hand away with his own.   
  
With a grunt, Tala shoved him back into the pillow and slid off the bed, looking uncomfortably at the strange surroundings. He arched a eyebrow at the glittery sign clearly painted, 'Rei the RABBIT,' above a cage with said animal.   
  
"Disturbing."   
  
Oliver rubbed his temples, vainly trying to get rid of the massive hangover stirring inside his head. "Where are we?" The accent was less detectable now that he was back in control, though he knew from the strange feel of the bed this wasn't his hotel. Hotel beds weren't this lumpy. And of course, didn't have disturbing glittery signs naming an animal after Rei for that matter.  
  
Tala grunted, spotting the door and staggered out cautiously. He was used to waking to unfamiliar surroundings but that didn't mean he had to like it. A poorly concealed mutter told him Oliver was right behind him.   
  
Taking a quick look into the room next door, which was surprisingly empty compared to the garbage dump of colour they had just left, Tala wandered down the hallway, walking slowly toward the sound of water from the next room.   
  
"You're sexy when you slink like that, cheri," Oliver whispered in his ear.   
  
Tala narrowed his eyes, a shiver running up his spine from the other man's heated breath. "Shut up," he hissed back, feeling incredibly uncomfortable with Oliver's sudden interest in him.   
  
Both of them looked into the open doorway at the same time. Eyes widened. Jaws dropped.   
  
Amber eyes glanced out from beneath the towel currently drying loose waves of black hair roughly. A fanged grin graced Rei's lips as he stepped out of the shower, the only form of clothing being a towel... which was still rubbing his hair dry. Water glistened down naked skin as he walked toward them, and closed their jaws with a finger.  
  
"Morning," Rei calmly wrapped the towel around his waist, still grinning.  
  
Oliver and Tala had glazed looks in their eyes.   
  
Their hips slid together as Rei brushed past between them, sending a delicious surge of warmth into their skin. The still wet wisps of hair whispered against their face, the smell of wild berries lingering from the shampoo, making their knees decidedly weak.   
  
Oliver and Tala swallowed, standing still for a moment to regain their ability to think beyond the thought of jumping the half naked beauty. After a full minute, both guys bolted after the uniquely tantalising scent of spice that was all Rei.   
  
Oliver groaned aloud upon entering the kitchen, getting an eyeful of a long slim legs as Rei bent over a bottom cupboard. "Cheri, you entice us cruelly."   
  
"Hmm? Oh, coffee?"   
  
Tala smirked, moving forward to place the cup gently on the bench top.  
  
"Perhaps later, I want something more sweet at the moment," he said cheekily.  
  
Deftly he stepped between Rei's legs, curving his mouth over Rei's. The Neko-jin's eyes widened as Tala kissed him, a zing of pleasure warming him as the red head's hands curled around his hips. His hands came up with all the intention of pushing Tala away but was caught against his sides as arms around Rei's waist from behind, effectively sandwiching the seductively tanned body between Oliver and Tala. Rei's eyes closed with a moan as a tongue darted into the shell of his ear, the slow motion of his hips creating a delicious friction between them.   
  
Tala's mouth didn't give him chance to talk, and the hands wandering across his skin, caressing with hot, teasing touches didn't give him chance to think. It was hard not to get lost in the assault of sensation from the heated bodies surrounding him just as it was.  
  
Green replaced red as his back was suddenly pressed against the bench top, lips devoured again by fuller and hungrier lips. His cry of surprise was muffled as a hot cavern circled over a sensitive nipple, making his hips jerk as his body reacted.   
  
Hands traced the top of the towel as he was pushed into Oliver's embrace, the warmth at his back once again replaced, lips sucking on the juncture of his neck with small hungry bites. Their hips rocked together helplessly causing small frissions of pleasure shattering Rei's mind with each movement.  
  
Knock! Knock!  
  
Rei's eyes shot open as the familiar sound of the door could be heard. If Kai was back... then... Guilt exploded in his mind. He shouldn't be doing this no matter how good it felt.   
  
Oliver growled, capturing the Neko-jin's lips again, "Ignore it," he husked, planting another kiss on Rei's lips. The hand that suddenly was there made the half formed caution disappear. Kai wouldn't knock since it was his apartment, it was probably Mariah or something, and he'd be damned if he'll answer another one of her house calls. Tala's distracted noise of agreement as he pulled him closer served to distract him further. It felt nice to be within the comfort of familiarity.   
  
"Hello? Anyone here? The door was unlocked and..." Locks of blonde hair came into view, followed by sharp crystal blue eyes, which quickly widened in surprise.   
  
Rei gasped, face-flushing beet red as Max arched a dispassionate eyebrow at them.   
  
"Rei. I can see I'm interrupting something so I'll come back later," Max drawled, glancing at Tala and Oliver with amused interest.  
  
Rei spared Max a glance, and gently pushed Oliver away, stepping out of Tala's arms, his face flushed as he tried to regain his breath. "Max. It isn't what it looks like."   
  
"Somehow I don't think Kai will be too pleased to know you've been having... friends over at his place." Max teased, the calculating gaze softened by the small measure of warmth in his voice for his friend, but was still a far cry from the happy giggle that he once spoke with. Rei winced inwardly and cursed his lack of control. The guilt came back.   
  
Rei looked appraisingly at him, and then turned to the two behind him. Both of them looked about to speak. "Don't." His smile was strained. "This was a mistake," he whispered. "I'm not a bloody saint."   
  
While Tala's expression withdrew immediately, Oliver shrugged. "Neither are we, cheri."   
  
Rei shook his head. Aloud he said, "Guys, help yourselves to some coffee, god knows you need it," he looked back at Max with a expression the blonde didn't recognise. "We'll talk after I get dressed."   
  
Tala watched as Rei sauntered into the guest room, and closed the door. His face quickly reformed back into the non-committal expression he usually wore, staring at Max curiously without speaking, taking a few breaths to will himself calm.  
  
The three regarded each other in a strange silence.  
  
Oliver tilted his head at the blonde, his own breathing still hitched. He noted the almost platinum colour it was now instead of the wheat yellow he remembered.   
  
It had been hard to imagine Max as anything but happy, but now he could see into those icy blue eyes, even lighter than his own, Oliver could tell a coldness that wasn't there before. The boy had grown from cute into gorgeous, clothes still the painfully bright colours, but now they hugged a well toned body with long legs that stood only slightly shorter than the Frenchman.   
  
"Bonjour," he said cordially, breaking the silence as he found a seat on one of the stools near the bench. He sipped from one of the neglected cups of coffee, trying to regain at least some kind of control over his body after a hangover and the aroused thoughts running at million a miles a second through his mind, regardless of company.   
  
Max looked at him with those eyes again, sparkling with humour at the situation. "I didn't expect to see you here Oliver, ça va?"   
  
How was he? Oliver rolled his eyes, and answered simply, "Bien."   
  
Max looked around the room, diverting his eyes away from the two figures, which branded in his vision one of the most erotic scenes he had ever seen in his life. A few moments ago, he didn't know what to do as he walked in on them; laugh or join in. He didn't think he could see any of them in the same light again. Especially Rei. And here Max had thought that Rei was the blushing virgin going after true love. Well so much for that.   
  
"I didn't know Rei was consorting with the enemy," Max commented idly.  
  
"As much as I didn't know you had it in you to take over the BBA and become such a self serving bastard," Tala said quietly.  
  
Max's eyes narrowed, his temper flaring at the words. "At least I'm not the bastard that tried to take over the world as a madman's puppet."  
  
"I was not a puppet," Tala's tone went icy, thickening the already strained tension.  
  
Ice met ice as the two glared at each other intensely; faces blank and eerily calm as both stared each other down with obvious dislike and quelled anger.   
  
At the moment Rei walked in, glancing at the two and laughing silently at Oliver's deer in headlights look as the Frenchman was caught in the crossfire of two deadly glares. The tension was palpable enough to cut with a beyblade.   
  
With a growl, he shoved them apart.  
  
"Look, both of you, chill. This is Kai's home, I won't tolerate fighting here, or beyblading on the nice waxed floors for that matter," Rei said sternly, hands resting on his hips.  
  
The three turned, and stared, giving a absentminded nod as they drank in the sight of Rei clad in black leather, his hair tied back surprisingly in black instead of white, though the same red bandana remained atop his brows. His amber eyes shone brightly against the darkness of his outfit, like a beacon toward those luscious features.   
  
"You've just made my day, cheri," Oliver commented admiringly, wondering which was better; naked Rei or Rei in sexy clothes. Both equally alluring.  
  
Rei shrugged. "Uniform for a job."  
  
Max had the sudden silly urge to grin lecherously, but settled instead for, "I doubt any restaurant has that kind of uniform... unless... "  
  
Oliver slid his eyes down Rei's form, lecherous grin already in place. "My question is to the location of this place where young men are forced to wear tight leather while serving customers, no?" he said cheekily.  
  
Tala turned wide eyes to Rei, "What job? You never told me -!"  
  
Rei laughed effectively breaking down the tension. "You guys are really perverted for uptight businessmen." He shot a look at both Tala and Oliver. "And you two, shame on you for taking advantage of a taken man with your feminine wiles, you both know how I feel."   
  
Oliver lifted a finger. "I object to the feminine wiles comment, I leave that to uke boy over there." Tala glared at him in return.   
  
Rei let the pretence of cheerfulness fall as he turned to Max. "You, I'm still pissed off at."   
  
The blonde didn't bat an eyelid, only smile coldly as he acknowledged the statement with a tilt of his head. "I came to talk to you about that... and to give you the rest of the prize money personally."  
  
Amber eyes flickered in surprise. "There was more?"   
  
The comment made Max chuckle quietly. "Yes." He smoothly dipped into a pants pocket and handed an envelope to Rei. "Remember, you and Kai were suppose to split, and this is your half."   
  
Rei choked at those words. "I've been spending Kai's money all this time?" He took a quick look into the envelope and blanched.  
  
The blonde lifted an eyebrow. "Problem?"   
  
"He gave me all of it... this is the amount he gave me before," Rei murmured.   
  
"I'm sure he can afford it Rei," Max started, but the black haired boy cut him off.  
  
"That isn't the point. I don't take charity, especially from HIM. I blatantly told him that, and he STILL gave me all of it, I may be a little on the poor side at the moment, but it doesn't mean he can just do that! Especially since I'm going to -" Rei stopped abruptly, ignoring the raised eyebrows directed at him, took a calming breath and counted to ten. It didn't help at all. He redirected his anger at Max. "Why didn't you bring this sooner?!"  
  
Tala's eyes hardened, the only visible change on his face at the slip of tongue. It lasted for a brief moment, burning through Rei with unspoken disapproval before breaking eye contact.   
  
Max, sat down on one of the stools. "I was busy."  
  
Rei frowned. "Why did you stop the match Max?"   
  
"Truthfully?"   
  
Rei glared. "Unless you want me to sick Mariah on you, yes, truthfully."  
  
Max gave a small shudder. "Right." His voice took on a softer tone. "Rei, I watched your matches until your finals against Kai. There was no way he could have beat you."  
  
Tala, Oliver and Rei gave him incredulous looks.  
  
"We ARE talking about Kai here right? You know, ultimate blader extreme, guy who controlled Black Dranzer was basically THE BEST BEYBLADER in the world... besides Tyson... " Rei rattled on.  
  
"Who won on dumb luck I might add," Tala commented.  
  
Rei shrugged. "The statement still stands. THAT Kai?"   
  
Max sighed. "Yes, that Kai. He may still be almost unbeatable, but right now, he's the weakest of the former Bladebreakers. If he had lost to you in that match you would have never stood a chance." He paused. "I only wanted to help."   
  
Rei shook his head. "I refuse to believe that. You're underestimating Kai too much. Kai would never let himself slack off in his training or..."  
  
Max rolled his eyes. "Believe what you want. That's the reason I stopped the match."  
  
"Ah, and it was not because you knew Rei didn't have much money or that dear Kai wasn't such a total bastard to let him sleep on the streets. And surely not in the eventuality that if neither of them won, they would have to stay together to recieve the prize money AND have the opportunity to battle each other later?" Oliver stated, smirking. "Just a guess of course."  
  
Max narrowed his eyes. "Kenny has been very talkative hasn't he?"   
  
Oliver batted his eyelashes innocently. "Chief is surprisingly vocal when he's drunk."   
  
"You're playing MATCHMAKER?" Rei yelled in disbelief.  
  
Tala's lips quirked into a half formed smirk.   
  
Max fixed Rei with an indifferent stare. "You two needed help in my eyes."  
  
Rei laughed and swung an arm around Max's shoulders. "I knew you weren't all bad Maxie!" Then promptly noogied the teenager, tussling the blonde slicked back hair with his hand.  
  
Tala and Oliver made a sound that seemed suspiciously like laughter. Rei released the ruffled Max with a wide grin.  
  
"Does this mean I'll have to return the favour and set you up? Mariah's always available ya know," he quipped lightly.  
  
"NO!" Max, eyes wide, realised the word had come out as a panicked squeak, and cleared his throat, face tinted pink as he tried to ignore the muffled laughter from the other two men. Images of him and Mariah sped through his mind, picnicking, dancing, and even worse, kissing. He coughed again, shoving the thoughts from his mind. "I have someone."   
  
Tala, Oliver and Rei had their curiosity piqued by that statement, and asked in unison, "Who?"  
  
Unaccustomed to anyone teasing him like this for a long while, Max didn't know how to react. He cursed his cheeks as they flushed, and replied vaguely, "Someone."   
  
"I can tell from your expression that this 'someone' is very good, no?" Oliver asked innocently. "Who is the lucky woman?"   
  
"It's a male," Max blurted before he could stop himself. What was wrong with him? Surrounded by a few old friends for a few minutes and he loses the composure he had sustained for 4 long years! It was ridiculous! It also felt strangely nice to be welcomed like this again.  
  
"Ah... a he, the plot thickens..." Rei teased, though he already suspected that Max was inclined that way from how Max had reacted to Tyson's name a few nights ago. "Someone we know perhaps?" Rei prodded.   
  
Max twitched, and made his face blank with some effort. "That's none of your business Rei, just as it is none of mine what you do with anyone other than Kai."  
  
Rei sighed, feeling the moment drain away. "It ain't my fault that these guys are horny bastards that can't get laid."  
  
Oliver and Tala made sounds of protest.   
  
Rei smiled and jolted when he looked down at his watch. "YIKES! I'm late! Alright, all of you, shoo, I need you out of the apartment before I go," he made shooing motions with his hands. "I'm late for work and god knows what you'll do in here when left alone."   
  
Oliver pouted, still miffed at the last comment, he COULD get laid! And did so quite frequently. It's only that none of them were as sexy as Rei... or even Tala for that matter. With a disappointed look, he tilted his head at Max. "May I catch a ride to your offices? No doubt my body guards are panicking over my disappearance by now."   
  
Max nodded, eyes still on Rei. "Rei, don't try to rush Kai... he's not experienced at these things, so don't try anything... advanced."  
  
Rei choked at the implications. "Kai's a virgin?"  
  
Tala and Oliver looked at Max with raised eyebrows, amused at the image of an innocent Kai conjured up in pink and frills.  
  
Max nodded tightly, unwilling to explain why he knew this. "As far as I know he is. Go easy on him Rei." He and stood and turned to leave.   
  
Oliver gave a short bark of laughter, as he stood in front of Rei. "Your interest is growing cheri, claim him soon, or I shall claim you." The Frenchman leaned in, kissing Rei softly on the lips. "As always mon petit, je t'aime." With a wink at Tala, he turned and followed Max out the front door, closing it behind him with a soft click.  
  
Rei blinked.  
  
"I can see your mind falling into the gutter even from here," Tala accused lightly, seeing that devious glint in his ex's eyes.  
  
Rei almost gave into the urge to rub his hands together and cackle maliciously, but instead traded for a telling smile. It dropped from his face quickly. "About this morning..." Rei started.   
  
Tala waved him off and offered Rei a smile. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, you love him, you want him, and you got to have him." Rei returned the smile weakly. Tala sighed, his own jealousy simmering just under the surface despite his outward reaction. The red head frowned. "I DO however, resent that 'not getting laid' comment."   
  
"I'm glad you're not mad Tala," Rei said quietly.  
  
Tala nodded curtly. "Stop whining and tell me what this job of yours is about. I don't know if you going out like that is good for the community."   
  
Rei winked. "Glad you like it, but the outfit is so I give a little presence on our friends overseas. For the heist if you've forgotten."   
  
Tala stepped back with a thoughtful look, all business once again. "Ah, the Arms Dealers."  
  
Rei nodded, "We need some supplies for this one, but I don't expect us to kill anyone. Is everything else ready? Plan, map, guard watch -"  
  
Tala cut him off. "I'm not incompetent Rei, everything is set."  
  
Rei leapt smoothly onto the windowsill, glancing back. "Tala, can you lock the door before you leave... and feed Little Rei?"  
  
"Little Rei... disturbing." Tala rolled his eyes as Rei shot a pleading look at him. "Fine, be careful out there Rei."  
  
"I'll be the posterboy for safety," Rei said sarcastically, and leapt outside onto the neighbouring rooftop.  
  
Tala looked around the kitchen. "Now where can I find some carrots? Rabbits like those."  
  
===============================================================================  
  
TBC  
  
A/N: Is it wrong to be so whorish for other couples?   
  
B/N: Is it so hard to write decently?  
  
A/N: Shut up Opal, glad to have you back betaing but in my defence, it's 2 year old writing. Like the unspeakable old fics that lurk in my past. I also realise this interlude has no substance, just a light fluffy bit of story before the heavy stuff.   
  
Ice skating... what on earth was I thinking.  
  
So, review? Feedback for further entertainment where we finally get the deep dark pasts of the boys and the plot thickens even further. Let us picnic at Hiwatari Manor, lair of angst and um... Kai. 


	3. Black and Grey Grey

**Black and Grey**

A/N: This fic is like the story that refuses to be betaed. Which says a lot about my writing and it's relative... goodness. Kudos to Serilia who finally got around to it. I apoligise in advance for exposing you to year old writing. But, due to somewhat popular demand, here is Part two of Black and Grey.

**PART 2 - GREY**

"I never understood how you have no problems stealing and yet you refuse charity."

Rei 'hm'ed in answer, eyes locked on the blanket of lights illuminating the night outside.

"Rei?"

Rei focused on Tala's concerned voice, shaking his head to draw himself out of his thoughts. He drew his eyes away from the starlit night outside.

Tala's lips twitched. "Stop brooding, if all goes as planned, no one will be hurt too badly, and Hiwatari won't even know it's us. He'll be the first to dance for joy once that thing is gone from his hands."

"Probably."

Rei tilted his head as he finally caught sight of the other man. "Damn, I've forgotten how sexy you look in leather." Rei unconsciously licked his lips as Tala only smiled at him in reply, hitching up the long leather coat and placing one foot against the table to strap knives into their holsters on his belt and thigh.

The worked black leather hugging Tala's legs moved with the shift of muscles, brushing against the tight turtleneck covering his chest as the redhead leaned down to slip another knife into his boot.

"Oh, no I see that look, and even if you DON'T love someone else, there isn't time for that," Tala said, preening a little. If anything, he still enjoyed the attention. "Get dressed." A folded pile of clothing was flung through the air at Rei.

"Yes, mother." Rei bowed mockingly and sauntered into the bedroom, clothes in hand. A second later, he came out, wearing only the similarily hip hugging black leather pants, with a strange expression on his face. Rei looked at his partner eyebrows raised.

"Tala, what did you do to Little Rei?"

The red head slid his eyes sidewards, "Damn animal wouldn't eat the carrot."

Rei's lips quirked. "Then why does he look so traumatised?"

A pink blush spread across Tala's cheeks. "He was being stubborn."

"You spray painted 'CARROT' on him," Rei was definitely smiling now, his tone lightly accusing, "...in orange."

Tala flushed red, choosing to remain silent. Rei gave a hearty laugh, and ruffled Tala's hair affectionately while the other tried not to focus on the bare-chested man in front of him.

"Put on a shirt," he mumbled.

Rei grinned wolfishly and slipped the black turtleneck over his head, pulling his 'tail' of hair out from beneath the clothing. Tala tied on Rei's bandanna as Rei silently worked on strapping holsters and knives onto his body.

"Is it me or did my arsenal grow or something?" Rei looked speculatively down at the table filled with carefully laid out guns, and pulled on the shoulder holsters with a sigh. Another two were locked into place on his belt behind his back, two on his thigh next to the knives and the last holster against his hip.

Tala cocked a .58 magnum in his hands, flipped the safety on and slid it onto a holster on his thigh. "Let's just hope they work, and for once we don't run out of ammo." Another gun went into the hidden depths of Tala's black coat.

Rei slid the guns into their respective holsters and rested his hands on his hips. "Do I look fat?"

Tala's lips twitched into a smile, and said seriously, "Yes."

"Oi! Not doing much for a guy's confidence here!" Rei looked at Tala sulkily, adjusting the weight of the guns a little more evenly before he whipped a long black knee length coat on top, effectively hiding all the weaponry underneath. Both of them prepared in silence, motions practised and casual like they always were in the time before a heist. Last was their beyblade launchers, clipping neatly to their belts. As a final touch they pulled the thin piece of dark material over their heads, and tucked it over their noses hiding the bottom of their faces.

Rei slipped a silver eye visor over his eyes, concealing the amber depths under a band of reflective plastic. Tala pushed his own up to hide vivid azure orbs under a guise of midnight black.

"Let's go," Tala said tonelessly, his heart reminding him it was the last time he and Rei would be together like this with a small pang.

Rei's head shot up melting Tala's sadness with a bright grin. "Wait! Lemme set some water for Little Rei!"

Tala's eyes were incredulous under the visor as the Neko-jin flew to the kitchen. He rolled his eyes and grunted, his mood light once again. "Men."

Moving quickly along the rooftops as silent as the wind, Tala had to admit that even though the facade was cheerful and friendly, Rei had his moments. The tiger-like grace of the Neko-jin was like a dance of shadows next to him, it was amazing how Rei could be like two sides of the mirror.

Moonlight glinted off the silver of Rei's visor as he scanned the area quickly before moving again, not a sound made as he jumped. All distinguishable features of his face, like Tala's was covered. No expression that could give away their intentions or identities. There was no hint of the fun loving Rei at all in these times. Instead the man was dark, emotionless and lethal.

It was worse if his features weren't covered. His amber eyes would burn into any attacker, the glint of fangs bearing viciously like a demon. It was infamous throughout the world to make the toughest guard tremble or even faint before the blow came from practised hands. To Tala, it was dead sexy.

Rei clasped Tala's hand as the other landed beside him and slid both his and Tala's facemasks down. Before Tala knew it, Rei kissed him hard, crushing their lips together in an intense kiss. A groan sounded deep in the red head's throat as Rei forced his lips apart with his tongue, thoroughly exploring Tala's mouth with a strange sort of clinical passion.

It was quite a few minutes before Rei pulled back, watching the flushed and panting Tala with a fanged grin. "For old time's sake. It's tradition." With that, the Neko-jin pulled his mask back up, and leapt onto the next roof.

Tala stood, still dazed. Sure, they usually kissed before a mission back when they were lovers, but never like that. It was too much like a good bye.

A sad and foreboding feeling settled in his stomach as Rei's meaning became clear. It would be their last mission, their last kiss beyond friendship, and the last time he had any chance of being the one Rei loved. Rei truly wanted to be with Kai now. It was bad enough he had to steal from him.

And the guilt just might make him screw up. Especially with Kai there.

Tala pulled up his own mask, taking a few panted breaths as he jumped in determination after Rei. Just because it was their last mission, it didn't mean the risks weren't the same, or that it strictly had to end in goodbye. It didn't mean that he would allow Rei to be hurt. Especially by Kai of all people.

"Where are you going this late?"

Tyson turned to look at the figure on the bed, silently watching the blankets shift as they covered the otherwise naked boy with a smile. "I have a job tonight."

A hand ran through tussled brown hair, letting the blankets to drop as his other hand groped for his glasses. Kenny frowned slightly, seeing Tyson fully dressed. He blushed, cursing his own modesty as ebony eyes ran over his naked form hotly. He gazed back at his lover with half hooded eyes, which were barely visible through his bangs. "Stay with me."

Tyson lifted Kenny's chin, eyes never leaving his, "Chief, I can't. I promised Kai I would do it."

A disappointed look crossed Kenny's features as his hands clenched the sheets. "Like you promised Max you would never leave him?"

Tyson noticeably winced, "Why do you have to talk about him Kenny? It's over between us. And…that was the only time I broke a promise."

With a sigh, Kenny lifted his lips to kiss Tyson's lips tenderly. "I just want you to be happy Tyson."

Tyson's lips answered firmly, capturing Kenny's in return before pulling back gently. "I am happy. I love you Chief. You know that. You should stop worrying about us, and think about yourself for a change. You're too selfless for your own good."

Tyson's eyes widened as Kenny wrapped his legs around him and pulled him back towards the bed with a devious smile. He felt the boy's weight press down upon him tantalisingly, trapping his arms above his head in one movement.

Chief smirked, "You're wrong. I'm too selfish for my own good," he straddled the boy's hips, whispering huskily in Tyson's ear. "This means that you won't be leaving me tonight Tyson," he leaned down and nipped at the boy's lips, grinding their hips together. Tyson gave a throaty moan, making Kenny smile all the wider. "Not if I can help it at least."

Any complaints were soon drowned out in fervent moans.

"This is a little disappointing," Rei looked at the large and anti-cheerful 5-story house that seemed to be completely deserted. "Where are the guards?"

Tala gestured to the lone man sitting in front of the door.

"Guard." Rei corrected dryly.

"It isn't the guards that are a problem. It's the security system. The rest of the men went with the old man to hospital, the house's security is enough to put any thief off," Tala explained.

"Pffft, every place we've robbed said that, and THEY had guards! I feel kinda insulted actually," Rei whispered.

Tala shot him a glare, but it was wasted by the shielding in his visor. "There is no other way in, other than the front door. Dranzer is all the way in the bottom labs. Traps all the way, as well as cameras."

A visible furrow appeared on Rei's brow. "And I can't use Drigger as it's too obvious."

"Hai, then Wolborg will be it," Tala said softly.

Rei shook his head, "No, don't use your beyblade. This is Kai remember? He'll know it's you." Grimly, he clicked the safety off his .45 revolver. "No one will get hurt, we'll go in and out in an hour."

"What about you Rei?"

Rei's turned his head slightly, moonlight glinting off his visor as he caught Tala's hidden meaning. Kai would be there to stop them, with whatever means possible without knowing who he was. Kai... Rei shook his head. "Don't worry about me. This is our final job. Let's make it spectacular ne?"

Tala nodded stiffly, sensing Rei knew what he was doing. "Guard, through the front door, stairs going down, cameras to the left and right, security lasers, more cameras, tunnel of beyblades and perhaps more guards. Final prize behind a metal titanium door, coded to fingerprint and eye scan. Alarms, trip wires through out," he summarised quickly.

Rei smirked. "No problem."

As one they went for the guard.

Kai swore as he leapt from his bed, the sound of alarms ringing shrilly through the air. Hurriedly slipping on a pair of pants and a shirt, he grabbed Dranzer and launcher from his bedside table, cursing as he ran towards the source of the disturbance.

Where the hell was Tyson?! He was being PAID to guard the house! And the guy usually didn't break his word. What kind of idiot would take on Hiwatari mansion anyway!?!

He didn't stop as he pounded down the hallway and skipped the stairs by jumping a clear storey down, surging with adrenaline as he ran for the front door. What met him was a broken heap of wood. The lone guard was unconscious against the wall, clearly having been punched out effectively in seconds.

He cursed Tyson to hell and back.

Kai saw the urgent blinking on the guard's walkie-talkie, and deftly picked it up. "Talk."

"M-M-Master Kai, the cameras are going offline rapidly! Everything from 1st basement level has been taken out! The cameras can't get a good shot before they disable it! They're heading toward the labs!" A panicked voice replied shakily.

"Set all defences up. ALL of them," Kai clarified as he started to run down the stairs, noting the almost silent damage done to the cameras as he passed. "And shut off the alarm!"

"Y-yes sir!"

Immediately, the house drifted in silence.

What could they want? All the money was tied up in banks, or vaults elsewhere, and the heirlooms were upstairs. There was nothing downstairs except the experimental labs and training grounds! Except...

"FUCK!" With startling fear, Kai started to run all the more faster.

'Not Black Dranzer! Please don't let it be what I think it is!' he thought wildly, only paying half attention to the security guard yelled the theif's progress to him.

------------------

"You weren't kidding!" They were cutting it close. They hadn't expected the front door to be finger print coded too. The alarms had sounded as soon as they touched it. They had no choice but to shoot the door down. But by now, Kai would be awake and going after them. And the security was just as bad as Tala had predicted.

Rei aimed his gun and let off another round, shattering the upcoming security cameras as Tala shot past him flipping through the air as laser guns shot past his lithe form. A microsecond later, Rei ran after him, knowing that the lasers needed to charge for at least a few seconds before the next shot. He still had to resort to flipping, as the lasers were too many to dodge all at once.

Tala gestured for Rei to follow, twin .58's in hand as he smiled slightly at Rei's foreign, muffled voice. "The best is next."

With only a slight hesitation, they pushed on, falling into familiar attack and defence patterns of their single-minded partnership. Guns went blazing, exploding the launching beyblades with shocking aim in mid air. Rei yelped a little as one cut across his exposed cheek, but pressed on, alternating between shooting, kicking and plain dodging the whizzing beyblades as he ran, Tala in front to clear the way.

He felt like Indiana Jones as what looked like arrows and spears embedded into the wall just as he barely skimmed by, still running all out.

"Cross Lasers!" was Tala's barely spoken warning before a line of light came at them.

Both of them slid knives out and dug them into the roof, heaving themselves up as the band passed underneath, slicing the arrows and spears cleanly, horizontally in half. Rei and Tala swore as more came there way, making them leap, flip and even fly on some occasions out of the way.

"This is getting dangerous," Rei gasped, his breath becoming heavy as they ran on what seemed like countless corridors and stairs with Tala leading the way, and Rei following in complete trust.

Tala shot out another camera in reply. The hallways went deadly silent as the alarm stopped.

"He's coming," Rei commented grimly.

"C'mon!!!" They had arrived outside what looked like a solid steel wall, their breaths coming in heavy pants. Tala shot out the last camera with a flick of his wrist.

Lasers came into existence on both sides of the square room.

"Fucking light shows," Tala muttered, breathing hard as he watched the lasers enclose around them.

Rei smirked inwardly, "Why is it that you talk dirty now but not..."

"Just hurry up before we get killed."

Chuckling at the unexpected, but not unusual crudeness in these circumstances from his partner, Rei clicked Drigger D onto its launcher.

"Let it rip."

Titanium door fell down in 4 diagonal pieces and Drigger went neatly into Rei's hand.

"After you, my lady," Rei bowed mockingly.

Tala dragged him by the wrist inside the dark hallways.

"Creepy," Rei duly noted.

"Just like Kai," Tala commented in reply.

"You feel that?"

Tala nodded, gripping calming pressure of Rei's hand to warn away the crawling darkness around them. The other shifted past him, superior night vision working away to search the shadowed looming forms around them. Tala's unease rose. The power of the bit beast was palpable in the air, and he felt a shiver of raw fear, quickly and harshly shoved down by training. Kai was the prototype. He was the end product. Black Dranzer would be no problem if Kai could control it.

That was the problem wasn't it? Kai was strong. He was just some kind of inferior product of the man. And Rei...

"Tala, you okay?" Rei asked sincerely.

The troubling thoughts went away with his voice. Even if Rei no longer felt the same way, they loved each other once. He would never lie about something like that.

Tala grunted his thanks in that one sound. God he hated the darkness. Even worse was when he was underwater. Any order to his thoughts always went bye bye then. Geez, you'd think he was a normal whining teenage girl from the way he was carrying on.

Light swarm into sight, a single circle over a small singular platform in the shape of a long ornate, stick and claw, where a innocent looking piece of metal lay between the tips of clawed fingers.

That piece of metal had caused more shit to hit the fan than any other object in the world. Otherwise known as the bit beast, Black Dranzer.

"Bad vibes," Rei noted, and tilted his head. "Do we just... pick it up?"

"No, I do." Looking like he wanted to be nowhere near the thing, Tala reached out with a gloved hand, shaking slightly as he reached for the bit. Rei caught his hand moments from the stand.

"Tala, rule number one."

The red head looked at Rei in confusion, then blushed, "Right, no evidence..." Even gloves could leaves traces of scent and fibers. "Sorry."

Rei laughed, the sound muffled behind his veil. "Forget it, Black Dranzer is evil. You know, it, I know it, pick it up, we'll go, THEN we can cheerfully shred it."

Tala nodded, slipping back into business mode, his earlier nervousness gone. Black Dranzer couldn't possibly corrupt him without direct contact. He was being foolish. With practiced motions, he took a pair of pliers from his coat, picked the bit beast up between the plastic clamps.

Rei sucked in a breath, a wave of worry washing over him.

Without incident, Tala deposited the bit inside a thick, insulated pouch, slipping it inside his inner coat pocket. Both of them exhaled with relief.

"Let's go," Tala directed with a not too composed smile.

Rei's visor glinted dangerously for a second before he nodded, grabbing Tala's hand to start running. His voice was low as he spoke, "We're not in the clear yet. Remember the rules," he reminded his partner coldly.

Tala glanced at Rei as they ran, questioning silently at the sudden change in personality. Tala shook it off. He trusted the other man with his life. Rei had an inane ability to sense what was happening around him with those strange instincts of his. Tala had mused quite often that it probably had something to do with Rei being part cat.

With defiant flips and dodges, they sped past the traps.

"Guards," Rei warned, gesturing ahead. He turned abruptly off into another hallway, leaving Tala no choice but to follow. They bounded up several stairs with flying leaps, the walls becoming more furnished as each level went by, always ducking just out of sight from the torchlight of roaming guards.

Tala frowned as they ran toward an open set of double doors. This was not the way they came down. The layout of the house rose to his thoughts. The guards were looking for them too closely, blocking the direct exits. Which meant--

Rei swore as a blue blur cut the wall inches from his face as soon as he entered the doors. He moved quickly out of the way as another expert slash of the beyblade barely missed his face. Feeling his stomach turn to lead, Rei spun to face his opponent, knowing all to well who it was. Red eyes glowed nearly black with fury as they pierced through him with pure hate. But Kai could not see any of the hurt in Rei's eyes under the black visor at that one look. 'As it should be,' Rei thought sadly to himself.

Kai grabbed Dranzer from the air and replaced it on his launcher with a malicious sneer. "Give whatever you took back, and I'll spare your lives," he drawled coldly, crimson eyes blazing.

Rei laughed inwardly, that was Kai for you, not even a curious 'Who are you?' but straight to the point. He glanced at Tala who took a flanking position behind him, cursing his own misguided feelings. He wouldn't be able to shoot Kai, and if Tala did, he would never forgive him. Neither of them could take out their beyblades at the risk of being identified.

The three came to a standstill.

Kai scowled studying the thieves that dared enter his home. "Give it back," he said in a deadly whisper.

The two men were like lithe shadows, hidden in the dim lighting of the room, their features hidden behind facemasks and visors that reflected the flickering light for only a few moments before going dull once again. Physically, only the one in the background seemed to be a match for him, the one infront of him slighter in build and shorter by a few inches in height. He would not underestimate them. Black Dranzer's aura rippled through the air around them. Anyone who could stand to be so close to that thing was as strong as himself. Uncomfortable fear jolted down his stomach as memories flashed through his mind of the powerful lure of the bit beast. It was one of the few things he feared, and with good reason. He could remember all too well the lure of that power, calling to him in its perfection as it did now, whispers in his mind which always lurked, reminding him of his own loss of control. But the bit beast was his. His burden to bear. Not anyone elses.

Kai gritted his teeth as the two men made no move to draw either beyblades or weapons. If they were not going to move, then he'll have to take Black Dranzer back by force, whether they defended themselves or not. Inwardly, he wanted them to succeed and take the horrid thing away from him once for all.

Rei watched the flicker of determination set in Kai's features with a sinking heart. He knew it was absurd, but he had hoped Kai wouldn't fight them. Already Rei could feel his own emotions cloud over his thoughts as Kai studied them suspiciously. Normally he would be fighting for his life, with no conscience to what he was doing to the other party. But it was Kai, and in no way could he hurt him, to do so would only hurt himself more. His mind worked overtime to think up and discarded every move he was capable of in favour of escape while not causing harm.

Grimly, Rei decided he had no choice but to make this as fast and painless as possible.

"Fine, if you will not defend yourself, I will take it back with force--!" Kai's eyes widened as the man in front of him launched a flying kick at his head. Reflexes and training kicked in just in time to block it with an arm, moments before the leg could have impacted on his neck. Kai realised his mistake too late as the leg shifted and promptly kicked Dranzer and launcher from his hand to thump across the room.

His eyes narrowing, Kai dropped to the ground and slammed his own leg into his opponent's, knocking the intruder to the ground before running for his beyblade.

Rei smiled sadly behind his bandana, flipping upright in one movement. He gestured with a frantic arm movement to Tala towards the window on the far wall before going after Kai, his heart wrenching painfully at his own actions.

Kai gasped as a blow struck his shoulder, knocking him aside moments before his hands touched Dranzer. He heard the sound of metal on metal as the launcher was undoubtedly kicked away once again. He blocked the next punch with an arm, spinning to meet his opponent. "Who are you?" There was something familiar...

Rei was slightly taken aback by the age-old question. Kai was getting nervous. Was Max right? Was Kai really that weak now?

'Doesn't matter, you still love him,' his inner thoughts countered.

Kai saw the opening and lashed out, striking the man in the chest with booted feet, sending him back several metres with a surprised cry. He growled softly, and went after him.

Someone suddenly twisted his arm behind his back, locking him in position against their body. Kai saw the tips of flaming red hair brush his cheek, with surprise.

"You will not hurt him." A muffled, and foreign voice hissed beside his ear.

Kai realised it was the partner of his opponent, and wondered briefly why that voice sounded so familiar. With a growl, he slammed his foot over his shoulder in a move of surprising flexibility, knocking the other to the ground with a grunt of pain.

Rei stood, torn between worry for them both. He blocked Kai's punch with an open palm, hating himself as he used his speed advantage to slam Kai to the ground with a tornado kick. "Get out of here!"

Tala clenched his teeth, the copper taste of blood on his tongue from where he had bit his inner cheek when Kai had kicked him. He shook his head at the threatening command. He would never abandon Rei like that. They get out together or not at all. Rei KNEW that!

"GO dammit!" Rei dodged a flurry of punches from Kai as he got back up, adrenaline pumping into his mind as he desperately blocked and dodged Kai's attacks. He heard the footsteps of what were probably guards storm towards the room.

Tala stood uncertainly. His head shot up at the sound of guns cocking in the doorway. With little hesitation, two guns came into his hand, levelling a round of incapacitating bullets at the guards in the doorway before they could blink.

Kai's eyes narrowed as some of his guards were shot down, anger surging through his mind as he attacked in earnest at his opponent.

Rei grimaced as the guards fell to the ground, clutching their legs or shoulders. He quickly flipped backwards to avoid Kai's next attack, his head swimming with the pain of Kai's punches. He couldn't take much more of those hits and still stay conscious. But he couldn't stand to hurt Kai seriously either. Rocking lightly on his feet, Rei leapt, locking his feet around Kai's waist to bodily throw him to the ground a few feet away. He saw Tala discard the guns in disgust, out of ammo. They clattered to the ground to join two more sets of empty weapons. Setting his teeth, Rei shot at the guards, emptying his own chamber of bullets in one quick dismantling round of metal rain. A word screamed past his lips. "GO!!!"

Tala clenched his hands, glancing at the window in contempt. He saw more barrels pointed at him.

"I'll be fine! Go!" Rei yelled, struggling to keep his voice low and foreign.

Torn in anguish, he knew he needed to get Black Dranzer out no matter what for his own selfish desire. He knew that if he gave in, he would have to abandon Rei to his fate here. His own need for revenge was a constant taunt in his mind. But at the cost of his saviour? Tala hesitated, a foot turned towards the window.

"Go!" Rei saw Kai get up again.

Tala gritted his teeth, hating himself more than any other moment in his life. His heart almost tore in pain as he ran towards the window, bullets spraying all around him. He pointed his last, lone gun backwards aiming to disable, not kill, as he took out most of the guards with one round before diving through the window, shattering the glass upon impact.

'I'm sorry Rei.'

Rei watched him go with relief, knowing how much this meant to Tala. His distraction was enough to get a stray bullet lance across his side as the spray of bullets came toward him and was barely dodged in time.

Kai!

The guards didn't know Kai was behind him!

Rei heard the gunshots ring, watching in horror as Kai made himself get up once again. If he moved out of the way, Kai would be shot! If he stood there, he would get killed, and the bullets would still get Kai. He wasn't quick enough to return fire, and the already moving bullets would still hit! Consequences raced through his mind to counter each possibility. It left him with only one option.

Kai's eyes widened as the man dived at him, seeing the spark of the following bullets with wide eyes, moments before the jarring impact and the sound of metal slicing through flesh could be heard twice. A bullet whizzed only a fraction of a centimetre past his ear from the man's shoulder before his back slammed into the ground, momentarily stunning him as the man's weight followed.

Rei cried out in pain as a shockwave of agony shot up from his leg, and burst into his mind from his shoulder, the copper taste of blood erupting in his mouth in a cough as they smashed into the ground. He heard a clang of metal on tile as his visor was knocked from his face, his eyes meeting the dilated irises of shocked crimson.

Bullets discharged harmlessly above them.

"Hi," Rei rasped. With that, he gave into the bliss of unconsciousness.

Kai's eyes widened to saucer plates, watching the brilliant amber eyes close, the growing wetness of blood on his arms and shirt making nausea rise up to accompany the torrent of horror.

"Rei... REI!"

Beep! BEEP! BEEEEEP!!!

"Okay, okay! I'm coming already! Stupid Japanese hotel service," Oliver mumbled, his mind still swimming in afterglow as he wrapped a robe around his otherwise naked body. With an irritated hand motion, he unlocked the three locks on his room. "Yes, what is it--"

His eyes widened slightly as red hair came into view, followed by a leather outfit directly from his hottest fantasies. The leer was pushed aside by worry as he saw the dark red stains of blood on the black leather.

Incredulous blue eyes met his.

"Fuck me, YOU'RE the buyer!?" The words were spoken with such vehemence that Oliver blinked in surprise.

Slowly, the wheels clicked into place in his mind, and he stared back at the red head that was undoubtedly Tala with his own incredulous look. Understanding flashed though his thoughts. "YOU'RE the master thief I sent?!" He cursed in French, only to stop as the barrel of a gun was pressed against his head.

Fury shone in Tala's eyes. "You! Because of your offer that-that-" A low growl escaped his lips, "I should kill you."

Oliver stared at the cold fury being directed at him, willing his body to be calm against the press of metal and the need to ensure his own survival. "Come inside, then we'll talk," the Frenchman spoke quietly, stepping back from the barrel and fully opening the door.

Tala glared at him stonily, reluctantly putting the gun away. With a tired look, Tala sat down in a heap on the lounge sofa, arching an eyebrow as a man, hurriedly pulling on a hotel uniform, with a ruffled and thoroughly shagged look wheeled out an empty trolley.

Oliver smiled at the man before he closed the door after him. "Room service," he explained.

Tala rolled his eyes, watching as Oliver sat down on the opposite lounge chair.

"You're hurt," Oliver pointed out.

"Doesn't matter," Tala said tiredly, his eyes closing. Hands slipped inside a pocket and withdrew a small cloth pouch, throwing it towards Oliver with a flick of a wrist.

Oliver didn't have to open the pouch to know what it was. He could feel the power emitting from inside the small bag of cloth the moment Tala took it out. He stared at the sheer evil that sat on his open palm with a strange recoiling disgust. He quickly dropped it to the couch. Oliver's eyes looked up in surprise to meet misty azure as a laugh that sounded depressingly like sob came from the other man. Tala glanced at the pouch, a hand tearing away the mask covering his face before running a hand through flaming red locks.

"Are you happy?"

Oliver didn't quite know how to answer that question, nor could he place the bitter pain Tala's tone had become. Instead he reached over to the mini-bar and pulled out two glasses, filling then with straight vodka, and handed one to Tala. "It's satisfactory I guess. I expect you want to get paid," his own tone was uncertain. Truthfully, Oliver had never expected Tala to be the one who he had hired.

A bitter laugh escaped his lips as Tala drained the glass in a single gulp, wincing as the fiery liquid shot down his throat, but thankful for liquid's properties to dull the pain from the bullet wounds. He waved the glass around. "Are you happy?" He asked again.

Oliver shrugged, bringing the glass to his lips.

"You had better be." Another bitter laugh, "That THING may have cost Rei his life," Tala looked into his glass before grabbing the bottle from the table and taking a healthy swallow of its contents.

Tala felt a strange kind of satisfaction in seeing the glass slip out of Oliver's fingers. The Frenchman's startled eyes searched Tala's. "What did you say?"

Tala's lips thinned, his eyes closing. "You didn't know did you? Your offer, it was the last thing I needed to complete my revenge. I asked him to help me. And Rei-" Tala swallowed another sob back and made himself pour the story out. "He agreed, disregarding his feelings for Kai for me. So he could make me happy. The heist went as planned, but Kai ambushed us in one of the rooms. Rei didn't want me to be revealed so I would be kept out of danger--" Tala took a calming breath, fighting tears, "He couldn't fight back since it was Kai, and I couldn't have done it alone. He told me to go." A pale hand clenched the soft fabrics of the lounge. "And I left him. I left him... "

Oliver moved beside the other man, and awkwardly wrapped his arms around Tala as silent tears coursed down pale cheeks.

"I left him when he needed me most just so I could finally get my revenge..." Tala buried his head in Oliver's chest, his fists clenched tight. "He could be dead, and it would be my fault. They could have killed him without ever knowing who he was without a second thought." A wet, choked chuckle. "Have you ever hated yourself so much you want to rip out your own heart?"

Tala felt Oliver swallow, his arms wrapped steadily around Tala even though he seemed obviously distraught too. "Shhh, cherie, he'll be fine, Kai would never hurt him." Oliver glared at the pouch with Black Dranzer, recoiling from its presence.

His heart softened as Tala gave into soft sobs.

"It's my fault. I should've done more research cher, I didn't know. Rei could die for some worthless piece of metal and it would my fault. All so Max could take over the BBA," Oliver murmured to himself.

Tala's sobbing stilled abruptly. "What?"

Blue and violet met. Oliver caught himself, his face grimacing into one of pained remorse. "Cherie, I am in business with Maximillion. He needs Black Dranzer destroyed so he could have no opposition from Voltaire in taking over the BBA. I had no idea..."

"Max. Again, it's Max," Tala said tonelessly.

Oliver felt strangely empty as Tala pulled away, the blank mask in place again, though the eyes held a world of sorrow. "Where are you going?"

Tala grimaced as he stood, wobbling tiredly on his feet though his movements sang in determination. "To get Rei back."

"Cherie, you don't know if he-"

"I'm not leaving him there!" Tala cut in angrily, spinning around to face Oliver. "And if he's... if he- I'll never forgive myself. Never. I can't leave him there."

Right then, Oliver was far more worried about Tala. The man swaying on the point of exhaustion, still bleeding from open wounds in his skin, and obviously drunk. He would not make it downstairs without collapsing, much less all the way to Hiwatari Mansion and taking on Kai. Or face the grief should anything have happened to Rei.

Oliver grabbed onto Tala's wrist. "Rest. I will not let you go and kill yourself. Kai is not dishonourable. Rei will NOT die. It is far more likely you will if you go back there without treatment and rest!" Oliver pulled Tala closer. "I will not let you die."

Tala bit his lip, "I can't leave him there, I can't."

"Then don't. We shall go to him when you're rested and well. You're in no condition to help him cherie," Oliver spoke gently, "Kai will not hurt him."

Tala looked about to argue but nodded tersely, letting himself be led to the bedroom before he collapsed in utter exhaustion on the fresh sheets.

Oliver watched him fall into fitful slumber before going into the kitchen and flipping open his cell phone.

"Maximillion, what is the meaning of this?" Anger was barely controlled in his voice.

A humourless laugh met his ears and again he was struck by the total contradiction Max had become. "Oliver, Oliver, Oliver. You should stop doubting me. All follows my plans. I will have someone pick Black Dranzer up later. Or do you wish to destroy it yourself?"

The uncaring words grated on his nerves, his anger wearing thin with worry. Oliver gritted his teeth continuing with a quiet menace. "This was not part of the deal. Did you know?"

"He's fine. All follows to plan."

"You sick twisted son of a-"

Max's voice interrupted the stream of French curse words coldly. "Don't interfere. I am not the patient, happy, little boy anymore. This is business. Don't get in my way."

The line disconnected.

Oliver threw the phone against the wall before sinking down onto the floor, suddenly suffocated by his own feelings of hatred and worry. Soft choking sobs turned into strangeled laughter as the irony of it all hit him. It really wasn't worth it. Rei...

The blue hazy light cast waves upon his face, tired lines mixing in with his worried frown and confusion. The uncomfortable crackling of the dried blood on his clothes could be heard as a hand ran nervously through blue tinged grey hair.

"Master Kai?" A timid voice questioned in the dim lighting, the stark contrast of a white coat clearly stating the man's occupation.

"How is he?" Kai asked quietly, his voice gone hoarse long ago for reasons he didn't want to think about. A pale hand rose to touch the glass, eyes looking back at the almost death-like stillness of the figure inside.

The Doctor cleared his throat. "The wound to his shoulder did not damage anything important, and completely bypassed his heart. The wound to his leg fractured his femur bone, and severed many muscles. Both bullets had gone straight through."

Kai tensed, fingers clenching against the glass.

The Doctor gulped, "However, our friend is healing nicely with the nutrients in the tank, and we have acquired compatible blood to go into his system as soon as the healing process is done."

Kai glanced in the man's direction.

Understanding the look in those threatening crimson eyes, the Doctor nodded, and told him what he wanted to hear. "He'll be fine in three days or so."

Kai breathed a silent sigh of relief and relaxed somewhat, though kept his guard up when the Doctor came to stand next to him. "What?"

"Sir, we have found some strange genetic... differences in his DNA. I thought it would be prudent to have it come to your attention. His healing rate seems to be faster than that of a normal human, and… bone structure, muscle density, teeth, even some parts of the brain, most of his physical traits are developed differently than those of normal humans. If I didn't know any better, I think he may have been crossed with some kind of wildcat. Sir, are you sure he's safe?"

Kai could have laughed if the situation wasn't so bad. Wildcat indeed. Biting back the urge to laugh hysterically, he grunted, shooting an irritated look at the Doctor.

The balding man nodded hastily. "Yes, yes, I understand completely sir. It's none of my business." The man hastily clutched his clipboard and bowed, stepping backwards towards the door.

"Doctor Borscht," The man jumped at the low voice speaking his name, raising his head to meet the chilling gaze of his employer. "Tell security," Kai continued, lips lifting in a frightening smile, "If they see a girl with pink hair and cat ears, shoot her on sight."

The Doctor nodded and hastily backed out of the room.

Kai let his shoulders relax a little more as the door closed, leaving him alone once more. His hand dropped from the glass to swing by his side once more. His eyes stung, but no tears would come, no relief from the pain he felt inside his heart and the confusion in his mind. An overwhelming sense of betrayal ran with a torrent of unanswered questions. But really, it all added up into one.

"Rei... why?"

Tala woke with a pounding headache and a crusty sensation that was all too familiar. He also woke in a soft bed. It smelled expensive. Azure eyes blinked rapidly as the gaps in his memory filled in, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the sheets in remembered pain.

"Feel better cherie? I have lunch."

The red head stared at the boy standing respectfully in the doorway, slightly dulled violet eyes matching the soft purple of his robe. Tala looked away in humiliation, not wanting to see the judging gaze at his outburst earlier. Just how long had he been watching him?

Oliver tilted his head, completely misunderstanding the adverted gaze. "I didn't take advantage of you if that's what you wanted to know. You've slept for a whole day. I didn't want to disturb you," he spoke in natural Japanese instead of the usual accented dialect, making Tala blink with surprise. The sound of the flawless vowels seemed wrong, and Tala found himself actually missing the French accent even though Oliver sounded less arrogant this way.

"Stop speaking like that."

Oliver smiled slightly, his eyes lighting up at the soft rasp of words, though the tiredness remained. "Very well cherie, whatever pleases you."

They stared at each other unsure of what to do as awkwardness crept into the tense silence. Just what does one talk about with your ex's ex? Heated energy sizzled into existence as their eyes lingered on each other.

There was definitely an attraction between them. And it would be wrong to act on that with their circumstances... right?

Oliver glanced behind him, looking almost surprised to see the trolley he had brought in. "Forgive me, lunch?"

Tala grunted, wincing as his sore muscles were stretched as he reached for the food. His whole back tensed as hands started to knead his shoulders from behind. How did...?

"Just relax petite." Oliver murmured, hands doing miracles on his sore muscles.

Tala struggled to swallow the mouthful of food he had in his mouth. "I thought you weren't going to take advantage of me." He could practically hear Oliver smiling behind him, and damn that man's skill with his hands!

Oliver grinned as Tala leaned into his touch, though the intake of food to those parted lips didn't stop. A low noise from those very lips almost made him moan in unison.

"Stop it... this isn't the time for this," Tala said with as much composure as possible... which was surprisingly, quite a lot.

"I can see why Rei likes to make you scream mon ami, you don't do it often," Oliver teased.

Tala looked at him and loosened the straps on his coat, watching Oliver's expression turn to one of surprise. The coat flopped heavily onto the carpet along with the ensemble of weapons.

"Cherie, I thought you said..." Oliver ran his admiring gaze up the lithe body, trailing off as Tala pulled off his shirt.

The red head nodded. "I meant it. I expect a running circuit by the time I get out of the shower," he winced, "And perhaps some bandages."

Oliver tilted his head in understanding, though disappointed as he watched the half naked man walk into the adjoining bathroom. The emotion in Tala's face had receded back into the mask of indifference the man usually wore.

Silently Oliver went into the lounge and started to set up a laptop on the small coffee table. His hands were unsteady as he typed; worry for Rei pushing into his mind as he was reminded what this money was for. Thirty million was barely a glitch in his vast funds, realistically, Oliver could be said to own most of France and its neighbouring countries. What other man could claim to have the Lourve open only to himself? The Effiel Tower closed for a day so he could take only a minute of his own day to stare at the view from the top. It disgusted him how they would just comply like that with his demands, but he really didn't expect anything less. He really had been a bastard back then. Still was to an extent. A pretty large one if current circumstances were any indication.

It took Rei to make him realise that there was more to life than money. Tyson had of course played a part in that a few months before that, but seriously, Oliver just couldn't stand that walking stomach for long, especially if Tyson was eating him out of house and home. The Frenchman sighed, trying to concentrate on the laptop, and to resist the urge to slam his head against the keyboard in frustration.

Lover, friend, companion. Rei had been what many couldn't even mimic. A true friend. It wasn't because of his money, though god knows Rei needed some, or his power or fame.

Rei had loved him; just for him.

Oliver smiled bitterly for a moment. Money had been his dependence for so long, the same worthless money that put Rei in danger. At the same time, money was the one thing that kept him going. Self-loathing welled in his mind.

"Set?"

The green haired man looked up, realising his finger had been pressing down on the 'x' key for over a minute. Quickly he deleted the few pages worth of xs', and nodded, shifting aside to let Tala sit down next to him.

The red head frowned. "This is pathetic."

Oliver lifted a perfect brow in question. "Excuse moi?"

Rolling his eyes, Tala poised his hand over the keyboard. Oliver's eyes widened as the fingers suddenly fazed out of view, typing so fast he could barely hear the keys move. But he did recognise the moving of money on the screen, going from account to account in seconds, legitimate and legal in a few minutes, separated into two accounts evenly.

"How..."

"There's a reason why I'm a master thief. There is no place I can't hack into. I was built for this," Tala said flatly, as if making that kind of money legal in only a few minutes was normal.

Heck, even Oliver's own illegal dealings took a few painstaking weeks to be made legal. Oliver's gaze shifted into awe as Tala continued to work, a hand going absentmindedly to tuck a still wet strand of red hair behind his ears.

Tala ducked his head a little. "Stop looking at me like you want to pound me into a mattress Oliver."

A red hue spread over the Frenchman's cheeks, though he found the bluntness refreshing, and the imagery a little too provocative. "Non, non, I stare at you in awe... though the thought has crossed my mind."

Tala gave him a dubious look before frowning back at the screen, speaking softly. "I'm worried." He didn't have to say whom for.

Oliver let out a breath, "So am I cherie." He frowned, "What's that?" And pointed to almost unnoticeable glitch of numbers in one of the columns.

Tala's eyes flashed with surprise as he looked back at the computer screen. "What have you got on this computer? Anything important?"

"Things I need for business, I take it with me everywhere," Oliver answered uncertainly, eyebrows rising at the urgency in Tala's voice.

"Someone's trying to hack into it," Tala poised his hands over the keyboard, "They must have allocated the detector to the exchange of money. But... !"

Catching on, Oliver quickly stared at the screen as it fazed momentarily, startled as the screen went black. "That makes no sense. Could it be the police?"

Tala started to type, hands moving fast, the screen turning into uncomprehensible green script as he worked. "No, this person is after information. No cop is this good." A startled gasp as he suddenly stopped typing as what looked like a surge of electricity connected him to the keyboard. His eyes widened, as a hissed breath escaped his lips, a hand coming to press against his temple while the other seem welded to the beyboard..

"What is it?!" Oliver watched with something between morbid fascination and concern as Tala's fingers slipped into red flames of hair, his breath coming in choked gasps.

"They're... inside... " Tala's eyes closed, fluttering as his face twisted in pain as what seemed like a vivid torrent of images were torn from his mind, specifically targeting what happened last night. A low growl sounded deep in his throat. "GET OUT OF MY MIND!!!"

Oliver's eyes widened as what looked like a ghost shot out of Tala's body, red hair flaming behind its spectral form. A glowing representation of pure energy as she dropped soundlessly to the ground, blinking. "Dizziara?"

The next thing he knew, Tala's gun barrel was pressed against Dizzy's head, eyes like ice chips glaring dispassionately at the barely dressed girl. Oliver was instantly by Tala's side a hand on the man's shoulder in warning.

Dizzy blinked and said one word, "Wow," before their world went white.

"What the fuck did you do!?!"

Blonde hair shifted as a sword came inches from a tanned neck. Light and dark blue orbs met with a sizzle of energy.

Max couldn't help bristling with anger seeing those eyes again, lit with passion and anger as they glared down at him, the light of the surrounding computers glinting off the unsheathed sword in the heated tension.

"Tyson."

A hand clenched his shirt, bringing their heads together, the sword dropped forgotten on the floor.

"What did you do?" Tyson's voice went deadly soft, "I get woken at 3 a.m. by Kai yelling at me for at least an hour on the phone telling me Rei had gotten shot while trying to steal Black Dranzer, the only bastard crazy enough to send a friend to do that for his own means is YOU. Now TALK!!!"

Max looked up with a blank face. "It's none of your business what I do anymore Tyson."

"It fucking is when you involve my friends. Noticed you didn't deny it either." Tyson's eyes seemed to burn with flames as he leaned closer so their noses were almost touching. "Rei got SHOT Max! Doesn't that mean ANYTHING to you!?"

"Rei was doing his job. He's perfectly fine." Max refused to look away from the intensity of Tyson's eyes, glaring back with his own. With a cry of anger, Tyson slammed him against the nearest wall, never letting go of his shirt.

"You heartless bastard Max! Don't you care at all what happens to any of us?! We used to be friends for god's sake! Teammates! Or have you turned so much into your bitch of a mother that you've forgotten what a friend is!?" Tyson snarled quietly.

"I never knew you would go so low as to insult the dead Tyson. Or is your deluded sense of honour so dubious as to destroy your memory as well as your brain?" Max's gaze hardened, "You shouldn't talk about friendship Tyson when this is the first time I've seen you since we broke up." A tight smirk passed Max's lips as Tyson flinched at his words.

"We're not friends Max," Tyson shot back just as vindictively.

Max tilted his head slightly upwards, his glare challenging the taller boy. "Then what are we Tyson?"

Silence reigned as both refused to tear away, breaths mixing with their closeness. Tyson looked like he was about to punch him at any moment. Their gazes battling, unwilling to look away as a tornado of emotions passed between them in a moment.

Suddenly, Max felt Tyson's lips crushed against his, hard and unrelenting, a tongue forcing past his lips, delving inside and thoroughly ravishing his mouth in a bruising kiss. Tyson's hands slipped behind his head, forcing Max to remain where he was. There was no gentleness at all behind the swordsman's heated lips as they slid against his, teeth biting down on the soft flesh of Max's bottom lip causing a small whimper to escape from the blond.

Growling from deep inside his throat, Max dug his fingers into Tyson's hair, returning the kiss full force as their tongues battled, neither of them wanting anything but to punish the other as their lips met again and again with cold passion.

Their bodies pressed together against the wall, grinding harshly against each other in aggression instead of heat, tongues diving down each other's throats in the midst of low moans that were more a reaction than actual arousal.

With a noise that was part snarl and part groan, Tyson tore his lips away, stepping back shakily and running a hand through his hair as he panted for breath. His eyes watched Max with confused intensity. The blond boy appeared as thoroughly kissed as he himself probably did, hair mussed from roving hands, lips swollen and red, breaths coming in jagged and uneven. God he looked beautiful.

Max stared back warily, leaning against the wall as he tried to regain his breath. Ice blue eyes were open and confused, vulnerability he hadn't seen for a long time shining in those depths.

A small intake of breath drew their eyes towards the door, where Kenny stood, head turning back and forth between them as his visible facial expressions filled with a mixture of shock, satisfaction and sadness. Without a word, the chestnut haired boy spun on his heel and walked out of view.

"Kenny," Max lifted himself from the wall, making a move toward the door.

"No, I'll go talk to him," Tyson looked at Max with the same confusion brimming in his eyes, "Nothing has changed Max. Whatever the hell just happened doesn't mean anything."

Max watched Tyson run from the room, his eyes hardening as his finger touched his lips, remembering a time when a smile from the boy would mean his happiness. When his own freely given emotions would mean the smile he treasured. He compared that with bitter irony with what they had now. His hand dropped flaccidly to his side, a shaky breath inhaled through tender lips, "No, nothing has changed at all."

-----------------------

"Chief!" Tyson grabbed Kenny's wrist, spinning the other boy around. "Kenny," his voice softened.

"Don't worry about it," Kenny replied quietly, refusing to meet those dark blue eyes.

"No, it didn't mean anything I swear, Max and me were just-"

"That's the problem," Kenny looked up, the smallest glint of rusted brown (A/N: His official, unofficial eye colour) shining underneath chestnut bangs as he met Tyson's eyes briefly before they were hidden from view again. Tyson heard the annoyance in his voice. "You and Max are always running around each other. Always denying what you feel and then coming to ME for comfort! I KNOW what happened, and I can see it plain as day! For god's sake! You two love each other! Anyone can see that except you two! All you're doing is hurting each other, again and again!" The brunette's voice lowered, "Hurting me."

"But I-" Tyson struggled beyond his own confusion at Kenny's reaction. Tyson tried again, his voice utterly sincere, but the words spilled out in a half strangled plea.

"Chief... I love you."

Kenny broke away from Tyson's grip, shaking his head, "No, you don't."

Another flash of bloodied brown, angry behind those chestnut wisps. "You really don't get it do you Tyson? Both of you have been using me like some toy ever since you two broke up. I'm not some kind of…go-between Tyson! You love HIM. And even if he doesn't admit either, Max loves you!" Kenny took another step back.

"Chief-"

"No. Go back there and sort it out with him. I can't take this anymore. I just can't." With that, Kenny turned and ran.

Tyson raised a hand at the departing figure despairingly. "Kenny..."

A hand bore down his shoulder. "You love him?" There was no way it could be anyone other than HIM.

With a snarl, he slapped the hand away, spinning around to face the blond. "Don't touch me! Don't you dare touch me you fucking bastard." Tyson's eyes widened as he was shoved against the wall.

"Stop talking to me like that. Actually, just stop talking." Max's mouth crushed against his momentarily, before quickly pulling away. Max's gaze didn't waver, his hand placated against Tyson's chest, holding him there. "I ask again. Do you love him?!"

A little breathless, and VERY confused, Tyson nodded.

Max closed his eyes, "Then we have a problem," then opened again, "We both love him, and now with whatever the hell is happening between us, this is getting unnecessarily complicated."

Tyson touched his lips with his fingers, his mind catching up a second later, Max had KISSED him. "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?"

Max shoved him higher up the wall, "Shut up," And ravaged his lips again with a ferocity and heat that Tyson was pretty sure killed most of his remaining brain cells. When the blond pulled away again, both of them were breathing raggedly. Max leaned in, eyes narrowed, "This is revenge. Don't kiss me unless you mean it Tyson."

Suddenly, Max pulled away face blank, and Tyson gasped at the loss of contact, his eyes focusing on the boy who stared back at him with an impervious calm. The only sign that the kiss had happened at all was his own hastened breathing.

Max's eyes had returned to the icy steel that was now so common in his gaze. "We have company."

Tyson watched as Max walked away, completely confused. Everything was happening at once, and he had the distinct feeling he was being left out of the loop. Pushing himself off the wall, Tyson followed the corridor blindly towards the door at the other end.

He felt the abrupt sense of danger just as he stepped into the doorway, Max's words registering in his mind. Max wasn't someone who took the world lightly anymore, and the term 'company' was never used as a descriptive term for friends, at least around here it wasn't.

His eyes widened at the scene.

Familiar flame red hair came into view, a bright splash of colour in the otherwise grey room, a green head he barely registered as Oliver not far off, both of them dressed in what looked like hotel robes. Tyson tensed, eyes darting around the scene, finally realising where the dangerous aura was coming from.

Tala, a gun in his hand, the barrel pressed against Max's temple, the other hand clutching Dizzy's decapitated head by her hair. Even more disorientating was the fact that the rest of Dizzy's body was being held down by Oliver. Kenny was looking very pale in his chair in a corner.

Four pairs of blue eyes flickered towards him.

Tala's lips quirked, not moving but acknowledging his former rival's presence with a glance, "Tyson, give me a reason why I shouldn't kill him." He gestured to Max, flicking the safety off the gun with his index finger.

Tyson froze momentarily, unsure of where he stood in this situation, then grinned and shrugged, "Kill him."

"Hear that?" Tala's teeth bared suggestively.

"Is there a reason you want to kill me Tala?" Max replied calmly, "Or is this a nice insane trip to the past? Want my bit beast too?" The blond remarked icily.

Tala's eyes narrowed. "Don't push me Max. It may not solve anything, but it'll make me feel a whole lot better if you're dead."

"What, so then you and Rei could live happily ever after? And here I thought you weren't stupid."

Tala's finger added pressure to the trigger. "This is not about me and Rei. This is about you hurting him by manipulating every one of us just so you can gain power. You're no better than Voltaire."

Max laughed, "This is business, not world domination."

"Max is right-" Kenny started, looking desperate and fearful, his head turning every few seconds to stare at Dizzy.

Oliver shot the brown haired boy a look, "Be quiet mon ami and stop defending him. Max is no longer the person we knew."

"I'll say," Tyson muttered, finally deciding he had no place here, and leaned against the wall to observe.

Tala noticed a small flicker of pain cross Max's eyes at Tyson's words. "Talk blondie. Why did you send us there?"

Max smirked, "I'll talk when you put Dizzy back together."

Oliver jumped as Dizzy's head spun of its own accord in Tala's hand. "Yeah! PUT ME BACK TOGETHER YOU JERK!!!" The dismembered head then started to gnaw on Tala's wrist with determination.

"Mon dieu..." Oliver murmured.

Tala's eye twitched, "Stop it or I'll reprogram you." His gaze didn't waver from Max's, but his grip did tighten around Dizzy's hair.

"OW! OW! OW! Oi!"

"Dizzara!"

Tyson stumbled back as a light burst from his pocket, materialising in the human form of Dragoon after one loop around his body, and rushing to the other bit beast's... er... head. Tyson shouted a warning, pulling his bit beast out of the way just as a lethal looking knife pierced the air where Dragoon's neck was.

Tala spared them a glance, another knife appearing between the fingers of the hand still holding Dizzy's head. Dizzy herself looked spooked. Tala noted the fast reaction with another quirk of his lips, his respect for Tyson rising a notch. "Don't move," Tala ordered quietly, "Move and he dies." The red haired man didn't take his eyes off Max.

Tyson narrowed his eyes, holding Dragoon back and stood defiantly. "Tala, don't do this. As much as I want Max dead, it shouldn't be on your conscience."

Oliver's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. Tyson was going to try the Tala reasoning thing? How many times would that work?! Then again, Tyson did have this weird knack for this kind of stuff. To put it plainly, the guy annoyed you enough to give up.

Tala evidently had the same thought, and snorted. "Talk Mizuhara, or I'll make you talk."

"No," Max shot back stonily, his face blank of emotions. Tala glared back just as stonily, the threatening atmosphere in the room rising as the silence continued.

A shaky intake of breath in the corner sounded, "I'll talk. Just let them go."

Tala and Tyson both noticed the brief look of betrayal that flashed across Max's eyes as the blond turned to stare at Kenny.

The chestnut haired boy shook his head weakly. "Max, I don't want either you or Dizzy hurt by your stubborness. They deserve to know." Glasses glinted as Kenny turned to Tala, "Put the gun down, and give Dizzy to Dragoon. I'll talk."

For a few bated moments, silence hung in the air, looks of uncertainty exchanging between Oliver and Tyson while Kenny, Tala and Max stood still.

With a resigned breath, Tala slung the gun back, flicking the safety on with a finger and made it disappear somewhere... behind him. The red head threw Dizzy's head at Dragoon with a flick of his wrist, an impassive look on his face. With a glare at Max, Tala shoved the boy aside and turned to face Kenny. "I'm listening."

Kenny stared at Max wearily, and began.

----------------------------

Kai opened his eyes tiredly, getting up with difficulty from the hard lounge, muscles tense and sore. Crimson red eyes adjusted to the dim lighting in a few minutes as he stumbled through the adjoining double doors for what could have been the third time that night, and the sixteenth time in the last three nights. For no particular reason other than to quell his own worry.

His heart nearly stopped when he saw that the bed was empty.

A choked breath escaped his lips as a form sprang from the darkness, a coil of rope... hair? winding painfully around his throat.

Kai lost almost all the breath he had left when dangerous golden eyes swam into view, glowing above the subtle glint of fangs. The next thing he knew, his face was being buried into a pillow, a weight slamming on top, and holding his back still.

"Where am I?" The familiar voice was low and menacing, sending a spark of unexplained arousal down his body. Kai struggled for breath, only to have the rope tighten around his neck, "Who the fuck are you?"

The former Captain cursed himself for not turning on the lights, and stupid enough to let his guard down when he KNEW memory lapses were common after a tank healing! Black dots danced in his blurring vision from the lack of oxygen.

Willing himself, not to panic, Kai did the only thing he could do... and slammed his head backwards into Rei's. A choked gasp of relief escaped his lips as the rope loosened around his neck, the weight clearly unbalanced on his back. Kai took a few rasping breaths, fire burning down his sore throat as he did. Before he could move to defend himself, Kai was flipped onto his back, the weight once again pressing down on him, holding him down.

A shiver ran down his spine to see amber eyes, glowing with anger trapping him with their intensity. Light glinted off Rei's bared canines, the usually pliant lips drawn back in a decisive sneer as the black pupils of his eyes slitted like a cat's. At that very moment, Rei scared him. There was something inhumane in that gaze; without thought, conscience or mercy.

Kai gulped for breath, watching as Rei's eyes widened in recognition, the amber dulling with distress as the pale features swam into view in the moonlight.

"Kai..." Rei rolled off him, his hands covering his face with a small sob. "I'm sorry, I didn't know-I couldn't remember, and you- I couldn't see- Oh God, I'm sorry..."

Kai tried to regain normal breathing patterns, his fingers tracing his tender neck, and feeling oddly disappointed for the loss of warmth from Rei's body. His eyes lifted to meet distraught amber, no longer glowing, glazed with sadness.

"I hurt you." Fingers came within an hair's breath of his pale skin before snapping back, Rei's hand dropping down to the mattress, while the man refused to meet his eyes.

Kai frowned, struggling to get his throat working properly, "No..." The single word was a rasp, and Rei noticeably winced before shaking his head almost violently, still not meeting his eyes.

"I-I should go," Rei lifted himself off the bed, stilling momentarily as if waiting for a impulse of pain, then lifting a hand to his shoulder with surprise.

Kai looked around frantically, and was absurdly thankful to find a glass of water on the nightstand, gulping it down in one swallow. He took a few breaths to clear his throat before trying to speak. "No. I won't let you go."

Rei tried a halting smile over his shoulder. "No, I don't want to ruin your life anymore than I've already done."

The man stopped as a hand clamped around his wrist.

Kai's eyes narrowed, pulling Rei back to sit on the bed. "I mean no. You are not to leave until you explain why you stole from me, and tell me who your accomplice was."

Rei flinched, stung by the coldness in Kai's tone. He had almost forgotten why he was here. Memories flashed through his mind, and once again, a hand lightly touched the healed skin on his shoulder where there should be a gaping bullet wound. A wave of relief went through his body to know that Tala had escaped without being found out. Rei bit his lip as Kai looked at him expectantly, "I can't do that Kai." No matter how much he loved Kai, he couldn't betray Tala like that. There was no telling what Kai would do if he knew. The Neko-jin lifted his eyes to meet cold crimson. "Am I a prisoner here?"

Kai frowned slightly. He wanted to let Rei go. Black Dranzer meant nothing to him. There was nothing he hated more than that accursed bit beast. It did, however, mean everything to his grandfather. If he didn't get it back, before his grandfather recovers from his so called 'heart attack' the consequences would be fatal. But it would be fatal for them both if he kept Rei here.

"Kai?" Rei was only looking intently at him, not realising his life was in his hands.

Kai felt a surge of jealousy out of nowhere for this man that Rei would waste his life on. He was being selfish, but he wanted to know who that other man was. The only way to do that was to keep Rei here. If he let Rei go, he might never see Rei again. His grandfather would hunt Rei down like a dog, before turning his fury on Kai. Rei had saved his life. Kai couldn't do anything but repay that, even if it meant keeping Rei prisoner. Even if they both died in the end, he would die happier having spent the last few days with Rei than alone.

"Yes," Kai clipped finally, and shook those last thoughts out of his mind.

"Are you going to lock me up?" Two tanned wrists lifted in the air, as if asking for a pair of handcuffs to clap down on them. Rei looked so heartbrokenly resigned that Kai almost kicked himself.

The grey haired man shook his head violently. "No." Kai adverted his eyes and stood abruptly, his shoulders were tense as he started walking toward the doors. "Follow me," he commanded in a low voice, somehow managing to make his voice indifferent.

Rei blinked in confusion and cautiously followed, made fully aware he was only wearing what looked like a flimsy hospital gown by the draft on his backside. He wondered briefly if the whole of his butt was displayed, but stopped himself short of feeling for it. Instead contenting himself by peering curiously at the heavily decorated surroundings. Rich baroque style paintings were on the wall, alongside heavily framed mirrors and tapestries. But unlike the other mansions he's been in, the whole effect was very impersonal, like the whole house was a museum of these things.

Even Oliver's mansion had paintings upon paintings of Oliver's family and and Oliver himself, with much fine art and heirlooms, that looked to be smoothed by thousands of little touches.

Kai glanced backwards to see Rei touching a lamp on one of the side tables, a finger brushing past the surface to take off a layer of dust. He flinched slightly, making a mental note to tell the servants to clean this hallway up a little more. A ghostly wind breezed along the hallway, and his eyes widened a little as Rei's gown lifted to reveal sleek thighs and delectable cheeks. Blood rushing to his face, Kai cleared his throat and started walking once again.

Rei stepped away from the lamp a little guiltily. Kai probably thought he was going to steal it or something. Sighing below his breath, Rei followed, wiping the dust covered finger on his gown. He almost knocked Kai over when the other man suddenly stopped.

For a moment they stared at each other, chest to chest, before Rei stepped back hesitantly, and watched in wonder at the flash of disappointment across Kai's eyes.

Kai gestured inside the open door, breaking contact, "You can stay here."

Rei looked inquisitively at Kai, ignoring the room, "I thought you said I'm a prisoner here... I was expecting, well, I was expecting dungeons, bars... "

Kai looked horrified at the prospect. "You thought was going to trap you in one of the dungeons?"

Rei winced at the fact that Kai HAD dungeons in the first place. "I did steal from you Kai, and I know how much Black Dranzer meant to you."

Kai narrowed his eyes, "It means nothing to me. You foolishly saved my life against the total incompetence of my own guards. What I want to know is why."

"I couldn't let you get hurt," Rei answered simply, 'I love you too much for that to happen,' he added silently. Kai's eyes looked at him sharply. Rei smiled weakly, becoming lost in that gaze. Kai's eyes were the most expressive thing about him.

Kai's face didn't change, his eyes speaking volumes. Questions he wanted to ask desperately, but unwilling to be spoken for fear of the answers. Resolutely he looked at Rei, wanting to shake him with screams of "Why?!" He hadn't wanted to be saved. He most certainly did not deserve Rei sacrificing himself for him. He wanted answers to his own confused feelings about the other man.

Pursing his lips, Kai spoke, "You're confined to the premises of the Hiwatari property until I say so. This is the fourth level in the house. There's a bathroom adjoining here. The kitchen is on the first floor to the left of the staircase, the dining room to the right of the main hall. You can go anywhere with an unlocked door."

A familiar red bandana and white length of cloth appeared in Kai's hands. Rei took them thankfully, feeling distinctly the weight of his untamed hair held loosely in a braid. Their fingers lingered together barely touching. The moment was broken as Kai stepped back, nodded briskly and turned to leave.

Rei hastily reached a hand to stop him, winding his fingers around Kai's wrist, a desperate look on his face. "You haven't told me where your room is."

Kai stared at him for a moment, searching, his confusion apparant. "Are we still friends?" He asked unexpectantly.

"Are we?" Rei asked back. Silence greeted his question.

"Perhaps. I don't hate you," Kai said truthfully after a long while, sounding like he was only realising that himself.

A relieved smile came to Rei's lips, "I'm glad." He wanted nothing more than to reach out and touch him. "You don't trust me do you Kai?"

"I don't know." Kai paused. "Yes. I trust you," he corrected.

His heart flooded with warmth at those words. Perhaps they could be fixed. Perhaps they could still be friends. Perhaps he still had a chance. "I'll try and keep that trust then, Kai."

Kai nodded briskly, tilting his head. "I'm upstairs." Crimson eyes went dull, uncertain feelings flickering across them. "I don't think we'll be seeing much of each other."

"Because I'm you're prisoner right?" Rei whispered, resigned.

Kai paused, his back to Rei, "Because I don't know how to act around you."

Rei watched, knowing he was truly lost as Kai walked away. "Neither do I…"

-----------------------

"All you're telling me is that after Max's old man died in a car crash, he took over the store, Judy, who you view as some heartless mother moved here to take care of him and together, they took over the Japanese BBA?"

Kenny blinked at Tala's summary of the lengthy tale he had told in the past 2 hours.

"You make my life sound so simple," Max said dryly.

Tala shrugged, "I'm a thief, not a storyteller," and gestured to Kenny, "That's his job."

Tyson snickered, and turned his eyes on Tala, "Still the same bluntness. How come you and me never got together?"

Tala arched an eyebrow, "Because you're an annoying, overly cheerful idiot with a large amount of luck."

"Oui," Oliver muttered in agreement.

"Hey, I beat everyone here fair and square!" Tyson cried indignantly.

"Thus the luck," Tala said, his lips quirking a little. An arm waved at Kenny, "Continue."

Kenny took a deep breath, and locked glasses to Max's eyes, "But at the same time, Max was in love with Tyson." Tyson looked away, an indescribable look in his eyes, while Max was the perfect imitation of a statue, tilting his head slightly to the side. Kenny bit his lip and went on, "Of course, Judy wasn't very happy about that. Her only son was in love with another boy. To make it worse, he was in love with the boy who beat her former team, without even the littlest inclination of intelligence in his head," Kenny smiled a bit at Tyson, "No offense."

"Meh," the raven haired swordsman grunted indifferently in return.

"She was homophobic?" Tala cut in.

Kenny nodded, and laughed bitterly. "Let's say she was kind of... annoyed her son was a faggot," he said bluntly. Max smiled slightly, so did Tyson. Oliver looked surprised. "To compensate for her son's 'illness' as she called it, Max was made to work. Judy integrated him into her new company, moulding him into her perfect protege, giving him no time at all to be with Tyson."

"Please, I wasn't some kind of dough. It was my choice," Max stated coldly.

Kenny nodded, his head bowed, "That's right. It was. You were driven by the need to fulfil your father's dream. Judy was the only parent you had left to look up to. But she would never love you back. And you knew that. But you didn't stop trying. You kept doing her bidding, taking on more hours, more responsibilty, growing more cold as her happiness grew at you being torn from Tyson... and me."

They were silent, Tyson adverting his eyes, and Max seemingly lost in memories.

Kenny turned to look at Tala, "Tyson of course didn't give up that easily, but neither did Judy. Between his love for a mother and his love for Tyson, Max was torn. Hurt repeatedly when Tyson kept accusing Judy of 'turning him', growing colder as his mother withdrew all emotion, except that of ambition and determination, growing apart from both myself and Tyson with each passing day," his voice had lowered to a whisper. Kenny cleared this throat, and began again in a stronger voice. "By this time, Max was the Vice President of the whole company, which Judy had mockingly called the Bladebreakers Corporation."

Oliver dug in his robe for a packet of cigarettes, "Do you mind?" They shook their heads, watching as Oliver lit the match with practiced ease. The green haired man turned his attention back on Kenny, "A question if you will, what was your role in this?"

Tala glanced at Oliver, "I didn't know you smoked."

Oliver rolled his eyes, "I'm French," as if that was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Chief was working for Max as his technician," Tyson answered instead.

Kenny nodded, "Oliver, you're one of Max's main investors, do you remember when Max told you he was president?"

"Oui, it was general knowledge, n'est pas?" Oliver frowned as a dark shadow crossed Max's expression.

Kenny shook his head. "That was the day that Max's mother was assasinated."

Oliver took a long drag of his cigarette, "Mon dieu," he could only mutter.

Tala crossed his arms, "Let me guess, she got jealous that her son was gaining more power than her, and her own position was losing control of the Board of Directors? Her ambition was moving too fast and too radical so she had to be gotten rid of."

Tyson looked surprised. "How did you know?"

Tala shrugged, noticing Kenny shaking his head slowly with a frown. "Usually happens when the leader of a company is being irrational. Happened often enough in BioVolt when I was still there. Though Voltaire would never be stupid enough to get assassinated."

Max smirked, "But the catch is, I ordered the assasination."

Tala's eyes widened, "You what?!"

Max shrugged, "I claimed what was rightfully mine. She took everything away from me, including my happiness, leaving me with nothing but what she gave me. Money, ambition, determination and leadership. There was only one thing she kept from me. Power. Her mistake was trying to get everything too soon. The Board got tired of her rants, I had no further use of my 'mother', so I got rid of her."

Tala leant over in one move and swiped the cigarette from Oliver's shocked lips, taking a long draft. There was a haunting coldness in Max's eyes. It was as if that cheerful child that had appeared in the World Championships never existed.

Oliver raised an eyebrow, watching the wisps of white blow out softly between Tala's lips, "You smoke?"

Tala nodded slightly, "Yes, but Rei hates it, so I don't do it often."

Kenny shook his head, "Max, stop lying. You know that wasn't true. You would never be cold hearted enough to order your mother's death. You loved Judy, even if she didn't love you."

Tyson looked confused, "Chief, what are you talking about? He killed her!"

"No, he didn't." Kenny ignored Max's warning glare, "Judy was assasinated, but it wasn't Max who ordered to kill her."

"Kenny, you're deluding yourself-" Max started coldly.

"No, I looked through all the files, all the accounts," There was a flash of rust as Kenny's eyes cut across Max heatedly, "There was no money exchange, no order, and unless you killed her yourself with your bare hands, there is no way you could have been involved. The Board perhaps, but not you." Kenny lifted his lips sadly in the resemblance of a smile, "There was nothing you could do to change any of it either. And if you didn't take charge, there was no way the company would stay afloat. I also know who was behind her killing. So do you."

Max remained sullenly silent, totally ignoring Tyson's confused and imploring stare.

Tala and Oliver waited on baited breath.

"The one who assasinated Judy is the reason why you try to do everything now," Kenny stated, eyes locking with Max's, "I backtracked it over months of research. The one who ordered her death was Voltaire wasn't it? And ever since, you have wanted revenge, to utterly destroy that man."

Tala's frown deepened as he and Oliver turned to look at Max also. The blond smiled slightly, his face blank.

Kenny frowned. "Judy was getting too big, taking over everything too quickly. Voltaire and the Hiwatari clan is the only other corporation big enough to oppose her, and she was going into their turf. She was a threat to Voltaire, and with no one else to take up the company, or so he thought, her death would mean no more competition.

The Board is useless by themselves, they would never agree to anything if someone doesn't push them in the right direction. Even I was only a minority since I had only computer skills, and couldn't lead if my life depended on it. To Voltaire, killing Judy would solve all the problems. Hiwatari would monopolise the Beyblade trade in Japan and most of the world besides the BBA. But they didn't know about you; Maximillion, Judy's equal, if not better, in intelligence, ruthlessness and sheer innovation," Kenny pressed, his voice growing steadily harder and more determined with each word. "If it was you that had killed Judy, morale wouldn't fall, as the Board would see it as part of the plan. Even those sympathetic to Hiwatari Clan would join you if they knew that you had ordered your own mother's death. Only you Max could have led them, and you knew it, so you did."

Max gripped the hand rest of the chair he was sitting on, "Kenny, you're stepping out of line-"

"But you couldn't let it go, could you?! It was better that Tyson left you since you couldn't think of anything but revenge! Better that the world thought you were cold hearted so they didn't know how much you cared. So that you could plan Voltaire's utter destruction. Taking over the BBA to gain enough numbers to take away Voltaire's money and business, taking away Black Dranzer, Volatire's ultimate creation, poisoning him subtly to take away his health and land him with a heart attack. And finally, using Rei's love to take away the only person Voltaire cared about, his grandson, Kai," Kenny's eyes blazed a haunting congealed blood colour, even through those thick chestnut bangs. It was probably why he hid his eyes. They were horrifically beautiful to stare at. "Wasn't that what you were doing all along?"

Tyson looked decidedly pale, "Max, is that true?"

Max gritted his teeth, obviously furious, "You think you have me all figured out Kenny? That everything I do is just petty revenge?" His arms flung wide. "I want justice!" He leaned forward, sneering.

"Did you know Kenny," Max said in a deadly whisper, his face stormy with repressed anger, "Did you know, that my mother was fucking Voltaire to try and get him to merge Hiwatari with us? So she could rule equally over Japan's trade? It was nothing new for her. She did the same thing in America! It didn't matter that he was a bastard, or that he was twice her age, he had everything she wanted! Volatire's power and money actually attracted her!" Max spat the last in disgust, surprising himself at the words flowing uncontrollably from his lips. Nothing could stop them now.

"She and Voltaire shared the same ambition, the same ruthlessness, the same cold hearted need for power. But everything went to hell after he found out that my mother was actually pregnant, with Voltaire's CHILD. She told me that she was 3 months into her pregnancy and was going to use the child to take over Hiwatari. If the child lived, Kai would be pushed out of the picture since he was only a grandchild, not the SON of Voltaire."

Max laughed bitterly, staring at the pale shocked faces of those around him, even Dizzy and Dragoon looked shaken, "That was the last conversation Judy and I had. Voltaire had her killed that night. He took both mother and brother from me with one bullet, and left them to die in an alleyway. He didn't even care that our company was his main competition, after all, if she was dead, our company was ripe for the taking anyway! Two lives for the price of one!" Max snarled angrily, "Revenge is too simple for this. Even if my mother never loved me, she was all I had left. For taking her and my baby brother away, I will bring eternal suffering on Voltaire."

Tala's fists clenched, unwilling to mention his own agenda of revenge.

The blond stood, giving a searing glare as he moved towards the door, "Don't stand in my way."

Kenny and Tyson took a deep breath, looking visibly shaken, their hands clenched at their sides. Oliver watched Max go out the door in shock, Max's words running through all of their heads repeatedly.

"Holy shit," Dizzy said.

END PART 2

A/N: I am a twisted little bunny. You may now start guessing where I'm heading with this. Trust me, it gets worse.

Once again, sorry for the medicore writing. Congratulations to anyone who has made it this far to actually give a review. But, more plot to come. If you haven't noticed, all my ideas for a beyblade fic based on season one has been channeled into this one mega beyblade fic. Whee. No worries, everyone will be fine in the end. Okay, not really. That never happens. -forebodes- Join us for next week/month/year's episode of torturing Rei!


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